Children’s social care managers in Bath and North East Somerset ballot for strike action

Children’s social care managers at Bath and North East Somerset Council are balloting for strike action over pay and grading, says UNISON today (Wednesday).

The dispute centres on the council’s ‘Being Our Best’ (BOB) regrading programme, which staff say was imposed without proper consultation and has left many incorrectly graded and underpaid.

Following ACAS talks in December, the employer put forward proposals offering benchmarking and future reviews, but with no clear outcomes or timescales. After considering the offer, children’s social care staff unanimously rejected it, citing the lack of urgency, ongoing staff shortages and unsafe workloads.

The ballot covers team managers and deputy team managers working in children’s social care. Voting will close on Wednesday 4 February.

To mark the launch of the formal ballot, staff are holding weekly practice pickets outside Keynsham Civic Centre.

UNISON branch secretary Toni Mayo said: “The council imposed a new regrading scheme after staff rejected it in a consultative ballot, and without workers being properly involved in shaping the role profiles.

“Three-quarters of appeals against grades and job profiles have been at least partly upheld, with two-thirds fully upheld. That alone shows how flawed this process has been.

“Morale is extremely low. In children’s social care, staff have been told they may have to wait almost another year for a resolution. People are leaving, workloads are unsafe and services are under huge pressure.

“This situation is entirely avoidable. Staff want a negotiated settlement, but the council must act quickly and put fair pay and proper grading on the table.”

UNISON branch chair Amy Rushton said: “Bath and North East Somerset is underpaying children’s social care managers compared to neighbouring councils.

“It is also the only local authority locally where frontline social workers are managed by staff on the same grade. That is wrong and it is damaging.

“The longer this drags on, the more experienced staff the council will lose. That is bad for workers, bad for services and bad for the children and families who rely on them.”