UNISON Cymru/Wales will be protesting tomorrow and on Thursday, in Port Talbot and Neath, to publicly highlight Grwp Gwalia’s proposals to cut workforce pay by up to 16%. Gwalia is also proposing a reduction to staff numbers and the removal of enhanced pay for evening and weekend working.
UNISON members working for Grwp Gwalia in elderly care services have indicated, through an informal ballot, that they would be prepared to take industrial action in response to the employer’s current proposals.
UNISON regional organiser Lynne Hackett said: “Pay cuts of this magnitude are just not affordable for our members and will have a devastating impact on workers and their families.
“Grwp Gwalia is claiming that they are not in financial crisis, yet at the same time are proposing these large scale cuts on the basis that they need to reduce staff costs to ensure the organisation is ‘fit for the future’ – this seems completely illogical to us.
“UNISON has huge concerns over what these cuts will mean, not only for the workforce, but also for the vulnerable members of the community for whom they provide a service. Experienced staff are already leaving, and there is no doubt that this will have a detrimental effect on the service and the local area.
“Our members are understandably angry about the way they are being treated and are not prepared to accept this from an employer who claims to put people before profit.
“Our members have indicated that they are prepared to take industrial action against the cuts. This course of action is very much a last resort for the workforce, but they simply cannot afford to accept cuts to their pay and so will have no alternative if these proposals remain.
“UNISON will continue to fight for our members to have decent employment and retain the fair pay and conditions that they have fought so hard to win. Our members working for Gwalia are highly committed and provide an essential service 24/7. They work in challenging environments and regularly go above and beyond to ensure that service users have the highest standard of care.
“The employer’s proposals are a slap in the face for those workers. They deserve to be paid fairly for the work that they do and we would argue that, in fact, they deserve a pay rise rather than a cut.
“I am disgusted that Gwalia are prepared to put the goodwill they enjoy from their committed and experienced staff at risk by attempting to introduce a set of terms and conditions which are detrimental to all but the highest paid.”
The protests will take place between 8am until 9am.
