Care workers fight to defend pay and jobs

Members of the FNV Abvakabo public services union are campaigning to defend their jobs in the face of plans by the Sensire care company to dismiss 1100 employees. The company claims that it is forced into this position by local authority cutbacks, but the union argues that funding is still there for 2014 and above all there continues to be the need for home care services. Workers believe that the company wants to sack all 1100 and then rehire employees on worse terms and conditions. Secretary of State for health and welfare, Martin van Rijn, has intervened in the case but the threat of

Further to the report in [epsucob@NEWS 10->http://www.epsu.org/cob/513], more than 100 employees of the Future Directions social care company are taking five days' strike action in defence of their pay and conditions. Public service union UNISON says that the company, actually owned by Calderstones NHS Trust, part of the national health service, won the contract in Rochdale in North West England knowing that it would have to make cuts. A demonstration took place in the town on 29 August and UNISON is calling on its local branches to support the strikers. [Read more at > UNISON->http://www