Social workers from India may strike over pay dispute

Swindon Borough Council said it does not treat workers from overseas any differently

Social workers that were recruited in India to work in Wiltshire are considering strike action due to a dispute over pay.

The workers, who were hired by Swindon Borough Council to work for their social services branch in Euclid Street, criticised the department's "colonial" hiring practices.

But the council said the statements by the trade union GMB about the reasons for the workers' discontent were not accurate.

A council spokesperson said: "All colleagues are treated fairly and equally and this is reflected in our terms and conditions."

Relocation bonus

Between 2022 and 2023 the council addressed its need for more social workers by recruiting 14 from India, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The GMB said the council offered an £8,000 relocation package to the staff who agreed to move to Swindon as well as a £7,000 recruitment and retention bonus.

However, the 14 workers - who are all members of the GMB trade union - are now set to be balloted on whether to take strike action as they are unhappy with the way pay has been structured in the past year.

The union said the social workers knew the £8,000 relocation bonus would be taken away if they left the employment of the council within three years but they believed that the £7,000 would not be.

The workers said the £7,000 bonus had been removed due to a pay grading restructure.

The union said this was not agreed with the workers nor the GMB Union.

'Modern day slavery'

This is not the first time the council’s pay and reward restructuring has led to disagreement between the council and its social workers who are members of the GMB.

The Swindon branch secretary for the GMB Andy Newman said: “GMB members are shocked at being treated unfavourably compared to staff recruited directly from the UK.

“Threatening them with a cash penalty to lock them into a job smacks of indentured labour.

"One worker described it to me as 'modern day slavery'."

The ballot would be held by 26 April, the GMB said.

Only the 14 social workers from India would be balloted and if they voted to strike they would be the only ones who would stop working, the union added.

A council spokesperson said: “We are extremely disappointed with these latest comments from the GMB. The inference that colleagues have been treated differently is simply not true.

"All colleagues are treated fairly and equally and this is reflected in our terms and conditions.

“We remain wholly committed and supportive of our workforce at all times.”