Unison rejects Care UK case for pay cuts

Unison has hit out at proposals by Care UK to slash the pay and worsen the conditions of care staff at two care homes and two day centres in Islington, north London.

Care UK has said it needs to reduce the employment bill for staff transferred to the firm since April 2004 from Islington Council or the NHS, who are on significantly better terms than colleagues.

But Unison, which represents half of the 80 or so staff affected, said they faced drastic cuts and has countered Care UK’s claims that the move is economically necessary.

Under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, transferred staff retain their terms and
conditions unless the receiving firm can demonstrate an “economic, technical or organisational” reason for changing them.

A Care UK spokesperson said the move was necessary to “secure the longer-term viability” of its contract with Islington Council to provide the services, and that employment costs were “significantly in excess of those in comparable services”.

But Andrew Berry, deputy secretary of Unison’s Islington branch, pointed out the company’s operating profits rose by 12 per cent in its residential care arm from 2005 to 2006.

Further information
Care UK