Disabled left without care by strike action

Aug 27 2008 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

THE sister of a Coatbridge woman with severe learning disabilities says vulnerable people in North Lanarkshire were left without carers during the recent council workers’ strike – while similar vital services continued in other areas.

Mary Johnston had to arrange for a private carer to provide the crucial round-the-clock assistance needed by her sister Anna Lavery, of Old Monkland, during the walkout by members of Unison and their colleagues from the unions Unite and the GMB.

Unison say that dispensation given to “life and limb” workers in other areas did not apply in North Lanarkshire because the council had asked for too many of their members to be released from the strike action – despite previously failing to accept that personal care forms part of the workers’ jobs.

From 8am until 10pm each day Anna is looked after by carers and social work staff, who help her with personal hygiene, preparing food, supervising her as she eats and taking her out in her wheelchair. Private carers arranged by the family take over at night.

Her sister Mary, who lives in East Lothian, was informed two days before last Wednesday’s strike that there would be no care provision available due to the industrial action.

She said: “I live 50 miles away and was unable to get through at the drop of a hat to look after Anna.

“My family was able to pay people to come in, but I’m concerned that other people in a similar situation would have been unable to (do this) and therefore vulnerable adults were penalised because of industrial action.

“In the area where I live, domicilary carers were granted dispensation by their union, meaning that they didn’t have to take part in the strike and still provided cover for these services.

“This should be highlighted so that people are aware of the disparity between different areas. It just doesn’t seem right that some carers are exempt and others take part in the strike, rather than it being a blanket action.”

A Unison spokesperson said: “As far as we can ascertain, North Lanarkshire Council attempted to request a huge number of exemptions for personal care – in the region of 70% of our members.

“Not only was this completely unreasonable, but it was particularly hypocritical because in recent job evaluation discussions, the council refused to accept that 80% of home carers delivered personal care and refused to pay them for it.

“Unison rejected this and said that they would be prepared to agree a reasonable number, but the council failed to give realistic reasons or break down their numbers, and we are told the council ultimately tried to engage private agency staff to carry out this care.

“Our members do not want to go on strike as they are in the jobs they do to care for people. We are sorry if this particular client had her care routine disrupted, but where councils attempt to exploit caring staff in this way then the responsibility must be in their hands.”

North Lanarkshire Council chief executive Gavin Whitefield said: “There was significant disruption to service delivery in housing and social work services as a result of the industrial action.

“The council had sought to enable the home support service to deliver personal care to our most vulnerable clients but the trade unions declined to grant any exemptions for this service.

“As a result, this created considerable difficulties and all efforts were concentrated on maintaining service delivery to the most vulnerable clients requiring care.

“Social work area teams operated on the basis of cover for emergency only.”