Some social workers at Bath & North East Somerset Council are set to strike on Thursday 19th March, after industrial action which had been called off was reinstated
The UNISON practice picket in Keynsham on 14th January | Photo © Amy Rushton
Team managers and deputy team managers in children’s social care will take strike action and will picket outside Keynsham Civic Centre from 7am.
They also plan to protest outside Bath & North East Somerset Council’s full council meeting happening at the Guildhall in Bath that evening.
A spokesperson from trade union Unison said: “We chose to suspend strike action because the council put forward an offer we believed should be considered in good faith. It is now clear that this offer was made without honesty or integrity.”
This dispute is a separate issue to the planned restructure of children’s social care, which led social workers to protest at a council scrutiny committee on 9th March.
The strike on Thursday is over a pay regrading, which put team managers and deputy team managers on the same pay grade as some of the staff they manage.
Unison said: “This dispute has never been solely about pay. It is about our progression, a workable and safe structure, and the ability to retain skilled and experienced staff.”
The trade union said the council had proposed a one-off recognition payment for affected staff, but all 28 team managers and deputy team managers rejected the proposal. Unison does not believe the council’s process met the HAY framework.
A spokesperson for Bath & North East Somerset Council said: “We are disappointed that Unison is going ahead with its strike. The council greatly values its children’s team managers and deputy team managers and has worked hard to explore options to avoid industrial action, including holding extensive talks at ACAS with these colleagues.
“We remain at the negotiating table to find a solution. Children and families are the priority for all of us and to that end we want to work through this to come to a resolution.”
The council added: “We need to be clear that the strike is about pay for a specific group of staff and is separate to a children’s services restructure consultation where we are looking at proposals to improve services for children and families.
“We are currently consulting with 350 staff on the best way to do this. While no decisions have been made yet, the current proposals have put five members of staff at risk of redundancy.
“The 45-day consultation period is there to ensure we hear views from staff about the best way to deliver reforms that we believe will deliver better results for children and young people across Bath & North East Somerset.
“We welcome staff members’ engagement with the consultation help us make the best possible decisions.”
Unison added: “We are under no illusion: a single day of strike action will not deliver the permanent grade changes our roles deserve. But it will send a clear message to the council. We do not agree to end the dispute.
“We will not be bought off. And we will continue to stand together with our colleagues — fighting for fairness, integrity, and respect in our workplace.”
Unison plans to protest outside Bath Guildhall from 5.30pm on Thursday 19th March. Bath & North East Somerset Council’s full council meeting begins inside at 6.30pm.
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter
