| UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch |
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Massive vote to challenge crisis in childrens services Over 98% of Edinburgh Social Work children services members have voted to lodge a formal grievance against a 'crisis in resources'. "In a 75% ballot return this is a clear message that action is needed to address the crisis", said branch chairperson Dougie Black. Social Work members say that up to 80 children and young people assessed to be needing 'care' are waiting for places. "The stress falls on families, children themselves and the social workers who will carry the blame if anything goes wrong", added Dougie. The lack of residential places and staff shortages means that the Council cannot meet its commitment to the first four recommendations of the Edinburgh Inquiry into abuse in childrens homes. This called for:
Since then the number of available beds has been cut and staff say resources are at an all time low. Initiatives welcomed The Branch stresses that this is not an issue for the Department, but for the whole Council and for the Scottish Executive. "Very often Social Work management are being asked to manage the unmanageable", said Social Work Stewards Convenor Lyn Williams. The Branch has welcomed recruitment initiatives announced by Councillor Kingsley Thomas and his CoSLA initiative for a Social Work review along the lines of the Teachers' 'McCrone Report'. "We welcome these genuine attempts to address the problem. There needs to be a strategy to respond to changes in demand and to redress the low status and pay problems in Social Work", said Lyn. "But alongside that, emergency measures are needed now to address the immediate crisis". Around Scotland there is a similar picture with recurring themes:-
In Aberdeen there are recruitment problems in residential care and home closures create the vicious circle of staff becoming more demoralised, thereby making is harder to recruit and compounding the problem. A new working hours flexibility package to ease the problem is failing. "Staff are being treated like bendy toys", said Branch Secretary Gill Thackray, "They feel that flexibility is only one way". Some staff have raised a grievance about rotas and Senior Social Workers say they feel pressurised into inappropriately using foster care. Dundee has a similar picture with understaffing, physical attacks and high stress levels. "Recently there has been a significant increase in stress related illness among staff", said Branch Secretary Mary Crichton. "We have warned for years that if you treat residential staff as a Cinderella service, a crisis was bound to happen". Glasgow too faces similar problems. There are major staffing issues, incidents of violence, rock bottom morale and concerns about lone working. Andy Quinn, Social Work steward, said, "Residential care is in a crisis and politicians need to wake up to it before it's too late". On the positive side, £800,000 is being put into one unit with a commitment to look at gradings, staffing levels and training. Big Win - Big Fee? Not in UNISON Warnings about the rash of personal injury claims firms currently advertising on our screens have been aired in the media recently. Whilst these firms claim to be "no win, no fee" they have apparently been charging those who do win, big fees. Successful clients have had to pay the big insurance premiums demanded by the company to cover costs. The only one of these companies to be listed as a public company (and therefore obliged to announce its profits), Claims Direct, has had to post two profit warnings since it went public last July. Although some attempts has been made to redress the problem, it is still the case that in the UK legal system, losers can be liable for the winners costs. This means that premiums will still be high. Frank Maguire of Thompsons, who have recently negotiated an extension of the service to UNISON members, points out that UNISON members don't have this dilemma. "Not only does our agreement with UNISON provide for legal support on a no win - no fee basis", he said, "but we also provide free insurance to protect members against paying the costs if you lose, and do not deduct a percentage from any successful damages." £240,000 win A recent successful case has meant a residential worker who was injured breaking up a fight and thereby became unfit for work, was awarded nearly £240,000 by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. "Whilst this money will never compensate her for her injury," said John Lambie, Assistant Scottish Secretary, "at least UNISON's support and partnership with Thompsons has meant she can have some financial backing to compensate for her loss of wages and increased care costs". Car Allowance anger Proposed new car allowances for Local Government staff have provoked anger around the country. Branches are consulting and the feedback so far is to say the least negative. In Edinburgh the Council has indicated it wants to go for a local deal but talks are not progressing. UNISONScotland has sent information out to branches confirming that this is a consultation to see what members make of the proposals, not an agreement. The issue will be discussed by the next Forum of all Local Government branches at the end of this month. Palestine guest One of the international guests at UNISON Conference, Mohammad Aruri from Palestine, visited Scotland last month as a guest of the STUC. Mohammad took time to visit the Edinburgh Branch Committee and spoke of being held for three days on the Jordanian border in his attempt to get to Britain. Because of the current crisis, 120,000 Palestinians legally working in Israel are now without work. This is compounded by thousands of others who work unofficially in Israel also being jobless. 2,000 cases being taken by the unions in Israeli courts are frozen. Because of the lack of rights and services for Palestinians, the unions provide free health care and are trying to provide emergency grants for members affected by the crisis. |