Union: Quarriers’ threat to sack workers

One of Scotland’s biggest charities, which cares for vulnerable children, has threatened to dismiss all of its 2000 workers unless they agree to cuts in wages and conditions, according to a trade union.

Care-sector union Unison has condemned Quarriers after it threatened on Friday to issue redundancy notices to all of its staff.

It follows the 139-year-old social care charity’s management proposal, which was tabled in May, to cut staff’s night-shift payments and payments for public holidays. The charity also wanted to cut sick pay by a quarter for any worker with less than five years’ service.

Unison claimed that instead of continuing negotiations, Quarriers told workers they would be dismissed and re-hired on new contracts if they did not agree to pay changes. A meeting was originally scheduled for July 10 but the union says it was cancelled by the employers with no explanation.

Quarriers, which has more than 100 projects across Scotland and provides residential accommodation for vulnerable children and young people and adults with disabilities, said all contracts would only be terminated as a “last resort” following a 90-day consultation.

Stephen Brown, branch secretary, of Unison’s Quarriers’ Branch said he was “horrified” by the move, which came while many staff were on holiday. He and other official met with management yesterday.

“They explained that the move they had taken was about them having an escape option,” he said. “We are hoping to continue negotiations and are meeting on Thursday. We want this to be sorted through dialogue so we are not at this stage talking about balloting members (about industrial action).”

Before going into the meeting, he said: “Unison recognises Quarriers is feeling the financial pinch and we were prepared to meet Quarriers in order to negotiate properly. I’m therefore disappointed that Quarriers have decided to fall back on gun boat diplomacy by threatening our members with the sack.”

He added: “Our members work very hard for the charity and provide an excellent service to some of the most vulnerable in society. Quarriers continually say that they value their staff but this threat shows how much they really value us.”

The union has called on Quarriers to withdraw the threat immediately and negotiate “in a meaningful way”.

Phil Robinson, Quarriers chief executive, stressed no final decisions had been taken.

“The legal process does give us the option way down the line if can’t reach collective agreement we can meet individual staff and negotiate individually,” he said.

“Then if that fails as a point of very last resort we can terminate all the contracts , issue new contracts on new terms and conditions. We did make that clear to staff as being a possibility.

“What we are trying to do here is to save jobs and save services. That is why we need to look at adjustments to terms and conditions.”

He said the cause of its financial problems was restrictions in public funding.

All of Quarriers’ work is commissioned through local authorities that are now struggling for funds and asking the charity to look for savings in the services provided.

Mr Robinson said the formal consultation process began on Friday but stressed the 90 days notice “isn’t 90 days notice of redundancy”.

“The situation is sufficiently serious for us to want to make sure it can’t drag on indefinitely,” he added.