Care staff strike in three councils over equal pay

Striking workers on a picket line in Denny, near Falkirk

Care workers in three Scottish council areas have started a strike in a dispute over equal pay that unions claim could bankrupt local authorities.

The row concerns whether the pay in jobs mostly done by women is equivalent to the pay in jobs deemed to be of equal value which are mostly done by men.

The GMB union warned that councillors "have their heads in the sand" over the matter, and that if it is not resolved soon then there will be a "disastrous" impact on communities.

Home care workers will begin four days of action in Falkirk, with strikes planned for care staff in West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire next week.

Staff who deliver care to people at home have begun four days of strike action

The issue regarding equal pay in councils has been running for several years.

Some councils, including Glasgow, are in the process of settling claims that run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

However, the GMB say other councils are not acting quickly enough, amongst fears the cost of settling the claims could lead to more cuts in services.

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, has written to First Minister Humza Yousaf urging him to support the creation of a new specialist body to decide on equal pay claims across the country.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Councils are responsible for meeting their legal obligations to their employees, including on equal pay.

“In the face of a profoundly challenging financial situation, the Scottish government is making available record funding of more than £14bn to councils in 2024-25 – a real-terms increase of 2.5% compared with the previous year.”

Workers in Glasgow previously went on strike

The GMB's Louise Gilmour claimed that councils were "approaching equal pay claims like the Titanic approaching the iceberg."

She added: "The scale of these claims are unimaginable for local authorities already being forced to cut services.

“Women who have been underpaid for far too long will still win these claims, however, and, unless that process is properly managed now, the impact on our councils and the communities they serve could be disastrous.”

The union has claimed that some workers in Falkirk are only paid £12.70 an hour and that the council rejected the union's appeal against a refusal to upgrade their jobs.

Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership stated they have communicated directly with people who may be affected.

They told BBC Scotland News that their Care and Support at Home service will "operate on a reduced capacity" during the strike.

A spokesperson added: "Falkirk Council is committed to upholding equal pay and continues to engage with GMB colleagues to resolve this matter and minimise disruption for those in need of our care and support at home services”.

Katherine Crawford, the chief executive of charity Age Scotland, said the impact of the GMB action could be substantial.

She stated: "We’re sure that the decision to strike was not taken lightly as the impact on those who rely on the support of carers could be substantial.

"It’s important that older people in this position have their needs met and we would urge the health and social care partnerships to ensure robust temporary care measures are in place and continue in urgent and meaningful discussions with the union to resolve this matter.”

Workers in West Dunbartonshire will strike on 10 April and 11 April, while Renfrewshire workers will walk out on 9 April and 10 April.