Message from UNISON’s Regional Secretary, Ravi Subramanian
“The Homecare Workers Won – the Council have withdrawn all of their proposals!
Yep, you read that right. After 18 months in dispute (longer than the miners’ dispute in the 80s) the council have decided to take everything off the table.
These 200 or so women (and about six men) fought magnificently for workplace justice. Every single one of them could rightly be called “a working class hero.”
As to what we should say about a Labour Council that allowed this dispute to happen and drag on for so long – well I’m far too polite give my views.
The dispute will be formally called off once we get some final reassurances from the council. In the meantime all industrial action is suspended.”
The union has been at loggerheads with the local authority since July 2017 when councillors announced plans to make around £2 million of savings by slashing the hours of care staff working for its enablement service.
Over 200 low-paid care workers, 96% of whom are women, would have lost up to £11,000 a year as a result of the cuts, says UNISON.
It has taken 82 days of strike action, over an almost two-year period, for the council to finally reverse its damaging plans. This is believed to be the longest dispute in West Midlands history.
Birmingham City Council is expected to formally agree to drop the proposals at a cabinet meeting on 22 May.