Care workers employed by Enable Scotland are being balloted for strike action after rejecting a “miserly” pay offer worth just a few pence per hour to hard-working staff, says UNISON today (Monday).
A three-week postal ballot of workers at the charity begins today in a wage dispute dating from 2023.
A previous industrial action ballot was suspended in October when Enable Scotland put forward an offer of a 10p increase on the minimum adult social care hourly rate of £10.90 for 2023/24, and a 20p rise on the £12 hourly rate for 2024/25.
But workers overwhelmingly rejected the proposal in a recent consultation. Enable Scotland has since indicated it intends to impose the offer, says UNISON.
UNISON steward at Enable Scotland Thomas Baylis said: “Staff are tired of accepting far less than they deserve for providing essential services. This miserly offer is nowhere near enough.
“The NHS relies on care services that are persistently underfunded, and only manages to operate by paying workers below the fair value of their skills, experience and responsibilities.
“Such poor rates lead to high staff turnover rates and low morale. Employees, and the people who rely on their care, deserve far better.
“The Scottish government cannot balance its budget on the backs of essential workers. It’s vital everyone makes clear to Enable Scotland that they deserve a decent pay rise.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON represents more than 500 workers at Enable Scotland. In the union’s consultation over the proposed pay offer, almost three quarters (74%) who took part voted to reject.
– UNISON is Scotland’s largest union, with more than 150,000 members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.