News

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.”