Separate union proposals abandoned

Controversial plans for the Scottish branch of the British
Association of Social Workers to sever links with public sector
union Unison and set up its own union specifically for social
workers have fallen at the first hurdle.

The proposal, defeated at BASW’s annual general meeting at
Community Care LIVE, arose from a frustration with the lack of
improvement in pay and conditions in recent years anda feeling that
social workers are being left behind by other professionals such as
nurses and teachers.

Unison senior national officer Owen  Davies welcomed the news
that BASW Scotland was reconsidering its position. He added that
Unison would ensure that it continued to work with BASW on issues
where they had a shared interest.

BASW members also passed a motion rejecting as “divisive
and unfair” the different registration fees set by the
General Social Care Council for social workers who trained
overseas.

International registration currently carries a fee of £155,
made up of £125 “to cover the additional process of
assessing an applicant’s qualifications, training and
experience”, plus the £30 standard fee paid by all
social workers.

A motion was also passed calling on the GSCC and the Care
Council for Wales to  enforce the requirement for Criminal Records
Bureau checks to be complete before registration can be
granted.