Unison Strike
It is extremely upsetting for me to say that the Unison led action at St Monica is not resolved.
There are two sides to every story, and, what I understand, is that St Monica have created a new employment contract for all existing as well as new Care staff (and some other low-paid employees). If the staff do not sign the new contract, then they will be fired and given the option to be rehired on the new contract.
As you can imagine, I am very much on the side of the marvellous carers who look after Margaret brilliantly and with dedication. I have been on the picket line to show my support every day.
It is not for me to judge what is going on but these three things particularly concern me. Carers' hours and the rate of pay for unsocial hours are both being reduced. This will particularly effect some carers and, in the worst case, they will lose £5,000 / year.
For Margaret, there is now an influx of Agency Staff as permanent employees leave in droves. With the best will in the world, someone with dementia cannot be as well locked after by a stranger. Margaret may not overtly recognise her 'normal' carers but, somewhere deep down, she does and that is why she is more cooperative with them and is happy in her home.
Between shifts, there is a 'hand-over' period. This has been reduced and, my medically knowledgeable friends, tell me that not only is this undesirable but is down-right unsafe.
I am absolutely horrified that St Monica can behave in this way with their staff and, more importantly for Margaret, with their residents who pay a vast amount every year to be very well looked after.
I would take her out tomorrow to an establishment which treats their staff properly but, obviously, I cannot as Ashmead is her home and I know that despite all this she will still be well looked after, although not as well as before.
An MP, Barry Gardinier, has been on the picket lines. Below is an extract from his website and recording of his speech in the House of Commons.
There are two sides to every story, and, what I understand, is that St Monica have created a new employment contract for all existing as well as new Care staff (and some other low-paid employees). If the staff do not sign the new contract, then they will be fired and given the option to be rehired on the new contract.
As you can imagine, I am very much on the side of the marvellous carers who look after Margaret brilliantly and with dedication. I have been on the picket line to show my support every day.
It is not for me to judge what is going on but these three things particularly concern me. Carers' hours and the rate of pay for unsocial hours are both being reduced. This will particularly effect some carers and, in the worst case, they will lose £5,000 / year.
For Margaret, there is now an influx of Agency Staff as permanent employees leave in droves. With the best will in the world, someone with dementia cannot be as well locked after by a stranger. Margaret may not overtly recognise her 'normal' carers but, somewhere deep down, she does and that is why she is more cooperative with them and is happy in her home.
Between shifts, there is a 'hand-over' period. This has been reduced and, my medically knowledgeable friends, tell me that not only is this undesirable but is down-right unsafe.
I am absolutely horrified that St Monica can behave in this way with their staff and, more importantly for Margaret, with their residents who pay a vast amount every year to be very well looked after.
I would take her out tomorrow to an establishment which treats their staff properly but, obviously, I cannot as Ashmead is her home and I know that despite all this she will still be well looked after, although not as well as before.
An MP, Barry Gardinier, has been on the picket lines. Below is an extract from his website and recording of his speech in the House of Commons.
Barry joins St Monica Trust picket lines.
Barry joined striking Unison members on their picket lines at the Bristol Cote Lane and the Sandford sites of the St Monica Trust, on Monday 11th July.
These low paid care workers are being subjected to brutal fire and rehire tactics, being told they must sign new contracts that will result in the loss of up to 21% of their pay, or lose their jobs.
But their biggest concern, as they explained to Barry, is the use of agency staff by the Trust, who are not skilled or experienced. Barry later raised this in the House of Commons (watch the video via this link|) and called on the minister to refer the Trust to the Health and Safety Executive.
These low paid care workers are being subjected to brutal fire and rehire tactics, being told they must sign new contracts that will result in the loss of up to 21% of their pay, or lose their jobs.
But their biggest concern, as they explained to Barry, is the use of agency staff by the Trust, who are not skilled or experienced. Barry later raised this in the House of Commons (watch the video via this link|) and called on the minister to refer the Trust to the Health and Safety Executive.
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