Children’s social workers end council dispute

A PAY dispute which saw children’s social workers go on strike at Bath and North East Somerset Council has ended.

A total of 28 team managers and deputy team managers in the council’s children’s services department carried out four days of industrial action in as many months over a pay restructuring that put them on the same grade as some of the staff they manage.

Now the council and trade union Unison have struck an agreement.

A spokesperson for B&NES Council said: “After constructive and focused discussions in recent weeks, the council and Unison have reached agreement on the pay dispute relating to the roles of deputy team managers and team managers in children’s services.

“Achieving a joint solution is important for us all as this supports the service to work together to deliver great outcomes for children, young people and families in Bath and North East Somerset.”
Team managers and deputy team managers voted in February to take industrial action.

They went on strike for a single day in March, followed by three days in a row in May, with a picket held outside the council offices at Keynsham Civic Centre.

Although the pay dispute is resolved, there is a separate dispute regarding a restructure of the children’s services department which will see several existing teams deleted, five people made redundant, and staff moved into different roles. A total of 229 people could potentially go on strike over the issue.

In that strike ballot in May, 90% voted in favour of strike action, while 97% voted in favour of taking action short of a strike.

Unison says it will decide whether to use its strike mandate based on what the council does with its proposals.

The issue is partly driven by the government’s “families first” social work reforms, which require the creation of new multi-disciplinary family help teams. The council says it should mean that families experience fewer changes in social workers.

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Pictured, striking social workers in Keynsham earlier this year Photo: Unison B&NES