Liverpool social workers to return to work

More than one hundred social workers in Liverpool will return to
work next week following almost five months on strike, after
reaching an agreement with the council over staff workloads,
writes Mithran Samuel.

Public sector union, Unison, recommended that children’s
services staff return to work, after agreeing a workload management
policy with Liverpool Council, following talks convened at
conciliation service Acas.

Unison senior regional officer Stephanie Thomas said the deal
acknowledged that certain work should not be given to unqualified
staff, one of the union’s main sticking points in the dispute
over workloads and case allocation.

She said: “The document now recognises the registered
status of social workers.”

However, Thomas said morale among strikers was mixed.
“They are concerned about a backlog of work when they get
back. [But] the overwhelming feeling is relief that it is all
over.”

Council chief executive Sir David Henshaw said: “We are
now looking at working with all staff to modernise the
service.”