Around 200 support staff in Lancashire County Council’s social work team today began strike action in a dispute over salary grades and working arrangements.
UNISON says the support staff frequently find themselves being used in place of social workers and carrying out far more complex tasks but without receiving any more pay.
UNISON North West regional organiser James Rupa said: ‘Over the years, Lancashire County Council has relied on dedicated and hardworking social care support officers to go above and beyond their pay grade to provide key services to people across the county.
‘The council has exploited their skills, experience and goodwill, essentially getting them to provide care on the cheap.’
A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: ‘We had started an appeals process linked to the regrading applications from a group of our Social Care Support Officers in which SCSOs and the trade unions have been fully involved. At present the unions alongside the SCSOs organising committee have taken the decision to pause the appeal process.
‘The county council is committed to continuing the appeals process and are continuing to work with our staff and the trade union to reach a positive resolution to the ongoing dispute.’
