UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / February 14, 2020 / Unite the union has launched a ‘Caring for Carers’ campaign today on Valentine’s Day in appreciation and support for care workers in Dundee.

Dundee City Council have refused to pay the cost of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration fee, instead they have imposed the costs directly on to low paid care workers who are predominantly female. The annual registration fees start at £25 for all support workers, £35 for residential child care and school care workers, and for social work mangers and care inspectors there is an annual cost of £80.

Unite members have raised a collective grievance under Dundee City Council’s grievance process due to being forced to pay the SSSC registration fee. However, to date, Council management have refused to hear the grievance and concerns of the care workers. It is a statutory right for an employee to raise a grievance either personally or through their trade union if the issue affects more than one individual.

Unite regional industrial officer, Bob Macgregor said: “Unite’s ‘Caring for Carers’ campaign, which we are launching on Valentine’s Day, is designed to show our appreciation for the valuable work carers provide. The campaign is in response to Dundee City Council deliberately targeting a low paid, predominantly female, workforce who provide a life enhancing service for thousands of people in Dundee.“

“For the Council to impose the mandatory registration costs on to individual care workers is a disgrace. We are often talking about workers who live on the breadline. There has also been a failure by Council management to meet with us to discuss the concerns and the real impact this will have on care workers. Unite’s care workers are prepared to fight in order to be valued by Dundee City Council and we ask the public to support our campaign.”