By Bill Heaney
Home Carers in West Dunbartonshire are heartily sick of the Council management laying the blame for the state of valuable public services on their employees.
And today the care workers will be asked by their trade union, the GMB, to take part in a ballot for strike action.
One home carer said: “I think it is a disgrace the way this has been made public.”
What was made public was that a decision had been made to reject an application by the carers for a job revaluation which which would have entitled them to a significant pay increase.
Only a much lower increase has been agreed though, one that would keep the carers on the breadline.
In a letter circulated to every home care worker, they were told by Victoria Rogers, the Council People and Technology Officer, that although there would be extra money, there was nothing close to what they would have received had they won their job valuation appeal.
Ms Rogers, pictured left, told them: “As you will be aware, Care at Home workers have recently completed the process of job re-evaluation and as a result both their grade and rate of pay has been increased from G3 toG4.
“Arrangements are underway to pay the arrears due to each employee which will be backdated to February 2023 in accordance with the Job Evaluation Policy. It is anticipated employees will receive the backdated pay in February.
“The Council has an agreed process for job evaluation and this process was initiated when Care at Home workers submitted their request for re-evaluation of their role.
In line with our policy and the national scheme, the request was considered by the Job Evaluation Panel, which includes our trade union colleagues, at the evaluation and consistency checking stages.
“As a result of identified changes to the role since the previous evaluation, particularly an increase in the level of responsibility, the overall scoring for the position was increased. This has resulted in an increase to the grade and corresponding pay.
“Subsequently an appeal was submitted in connection with the above evaluation outcome. However, the appeal failed to meet the criteria as set out in the agreed Job Evaluation Policy & Procedure and did not provide sufficient evidence relevant to the factor(s) being appealed.”
Ms Rogers’ sounded irritated in relation to the way the care workers had responded to the news that they were being turned down.
She told them: “I would also like to address a recent communication issued by GMB to our Care at Home workforce and shared on social media which contains allegations in relation to the Council’s handling of the matter which are both false and deeply distressing to colleagues.
“I understand the distress this will have caused and as a valued member of our workforce, I want to take this opportunity to reassure you the job evaluation and appeals process are managed independently.”
But she did not convince the care workers, one of whom told us: “I feel like they are blaming carers absences for it being in such a mess when really they should be looking into why are the carers off sick?
“The blame for the mess in care at homes falls on bad management and has been for the last couple of years. Home carers are overworked and underpaid for the work they do.”
The woman – home carers are mostly women – because of the heavy work schedule imposed on them:
Morning/lunches visits 15 clients or more
Teas visits 10 clients or more
Tuck-in visits 30 clients or more
In so little time.
The care worker alleged that additional clients are added to their schedule without them being informed in advance.
She added: “Carers are left out in the community with no support when trying to call the office the lines just ring out most of the time and the managers are always in ‘meetings’.
“This new redesign (money saver) is affecting the clients cutting away all the services the clients rely on. Some things are just better kept [the way they are] … change isn’t always the best way. The list goes on…”
She added: “The home help /carers really need to speak up how bad a work place it really is or it’s going to get worse.”
Craig Denver told social media: “In my opinion, the recent outcome of the job evaluation proves how WDC do not value home care workers.
“They had the opportunity to pay us at the correct grade (5) but low scored us on communication which is probably one of the biggest parts of the job role.”
Lorraine Gormley added: “I left Homecare in December and I have to agree with this.”
While Nicole Capuano said this was “perfectly put,” her colleague Tracey Mcdougall Mcmillan added: “Well said. I felt carers were blamed also. It’s staff shortages since before pandemic and poor management that’s to blame.
“We are overworked, under valued, underpaid and stressed. Why would anyone want to work as a carer? The job is so bad now and will only get worse.”
Leeann Corr agreed: “Very well said! Maybe they have to look at why the staff are off sick or leaving the job? Over worked and underpaid.”
David Scott of the GMB and Community Party councillor Jim Bollan.
Cllr Jim Bollan replied: “Well said that carer,” and Margaret Wood added: “Completely agree!”
Allan Kane said: “Denying [employees] annual leave is counter productive. Carers are more likely to end up overworked to the point of going on the sick.
“They then end up off for longer as when they return they still have annual leave to take. Exceptionally short sighted move.”
David Scott, of the GMB trade union, said: “I would totally agree.”
Dozens of carers wrote to Facebook to agree that the Council was in the wrong, especially post the covid pandemic when carers showed their dedication to looking after elderly people in their homes.
Top picture: A care worker looks after an elderly lady in her home in West Dunbartonshire. The picture below that is of GMB care workers, some of them too scared to show their faces in case they are bullied, demonstrating outside the council offices.