Lanarkshire home care workers are set to hold a demonstration outside the council headquarters over a pay dispute.
The move comes after South Lanarkshire Council agreed on a higher pay grade for home care workers and that the new grade would be backdated to October 2020.
However, UNISON has now accused the local authority of breaking the agreement with home carers demanding assurances that the deal be honoured.
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The deal was agreed on May 16 with the new grade resulting in an increase of more than £3 an hour from the current £13.09 to £16.24, rising to £16.69. The increase was the result of an appeal submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite against an original Job Evaluation review that saw no increase in the Home Carers Grade.
Ahead of the Job Evaluation outcome, the council had agreed that the new grade, if there was one, would be backdated to October 2020.
UNISON Branch Secretary, Stephen Smellie, said: “We were delighted with the new grade. It properly reflects the level of responsibility that Home Cares have and the complexity of the tasks that they undertake. Everyone supported the home Carers’ case, Councillors, MSPs, but more importantly the service users and their families who understand the quality of the service that Home Carers provide. However, the council have reneged on the deal, which they confirmed with us before the Job Evaluation outcome, that the new grade should be backdated to October 2020, thus withholding from the Home Carers monies that are rightfully owed to them.
"We should be organising a party to celebrate that justice has been done, congratulating the council on at last giving home carers the recognition that they are due. Instead, we are demonstrating against the council trying to rob the Home Carers.”
In addition to the new grade and breaking the agreement on backdating, the council is also now insisting that all home carers will need to achieve a higher qualification, SVQ Level 3.
UNISON has said they are prepared to negotiate on the SVQ Level 3 but say they will not take a lack of the qualification as justification of 'not paying Home Carers what they are owed'.
Mr Smellie added: "This could lead to another costly Equal Pay claim against the council. There is also the possibility of Home Carers taking strike action if the council do not recognise that they must play fair and pay the Home Carers what they are due.”
Home Carers will demonstrate outside the council HQ on Tuesday at 1.30pm and will be lobbying the council meeting taking place the following day from 9.30 am.
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