More than 100 social workers have gone on strike in Brighton and Hove, with union members forming a picket outside Hove Town Hall this morning (Tuesday 7 November).
The union, Unison, said that social workers employed by Brighton and Hove Council have walked out for 24 hours after voting in September for industrial action in a dispute about pay.
Unison said that staff working in adult services must be paid the same “market supplement” that the council had already given to colleagues working with families and children.
Many councils are paying market supplements to tackle severe difficulties with the recruitment and retention of social work staff. Figures suggested that a quarter of councils were now offering these payments.
Unison said that the supplements should be paid to the whole social work team to reflect the challenges of their jobs, not just to selected groups.
Brighton and Hove Unison joint branch secretary Corinna Edwards-Colledge said: “Brighton and Hove Unison is so proud of our 100+ adult social worker members today as they took their first historic strike action on fair pay.
“Dozens were at the picket this morning and the support from the public who stopped to talk to us was clear.
“Our social worker members are standing up for their own jobs but also for the services they run and the many people they support in Brighton and Hove.
“Our social workers support the most vulnerable adults in the city including older people, people with disabilities, mental health issues and the homeless.
“Brighton and Hove City Council needs to ask itself not what price fair pay for adults’ social workers, but rather what cost not paying social workers fairly and enough to live with dignity.
“Unison is clear, that cost is one that is too high to pay both for valued social workers but also for the residents of the city they work for and protect.”
Unison south east regional secretary Steve Torrance said: “Making this extra payment would make staff feel more valued and could persuade more social workers to stay, delivering a better safer service to the public.
“Striking is always a last resort but, without this payment, services won’t improve. The council must do the right thing and pay up for the sake of staff and the people they support.
“There is a way through this and we are ready to get around the table and talk.”
Neighbouring councils were already paying more, senior social worker Lorna Cornett told the BBC, adding that Brighton and Hove was a great place to live and work – but expensive.
She said: “We need to be able to afford to live here and care for the residents and the people who live next door to us and are our friends and neighbours.”
Adult social workers provide support for the elderly, people with disabilities or long-term conditions and those recovering from a period in hospital, Unison said. They promote independence and wellbeing.
Councils can pay a market supplement in addition to the salary for a post where and when employers are struggling to recruit or retain staff in sufficient numbers.
A workforce survey by the Local Government Association last year found that 25 per cent of councils were offering “market forces supplements” to adult social workers.
More than two thirds of councils (71 per cent) were experiencing recruitment challenges in adult social work while more than half (57 per cent) had retention difficulties.
Unison assistant general secretary Jon Richards was planning to join striking workers on the picket line outside Hove Town Hall, in Norton Road, Hove, this morning.
It is now Britain’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy – in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Not to mention that social work is emotionally very draining. You’re supporting people who typically have multiple challenges and aspects to their social care. Every social worker I have interacted with has an almost impossible number of caseloads. I support a normalised wage that is reflective of the work, supplemental wages are just an indication that they aren’t being paid enough.
As I continue to observe recurring pay dispute between social workers and employers, I am made to think which way to go from here?
Social work has being marketed to students as a rewarding profession. Oftentimes, money issues are also downplayed in classes. I believe today’s social workers must be enterprising either as employees or business owners in order to secure an impactful and fulfilling career.
I don’t think there are many opportunities to be business owners in those professions. Impactful is interesting, because you will always come across people who will likely always be institutionalised.
There are rewards in helping someone before they get to that stage; definitely intangible in nature however. Caring altruistically has to be part of your psyche in most the health and care professions, because you aren’t likely to be getting rich from it!
Over 50 immigrant children have gone missing in Brighton recently .
1 in 4 children court cases in brighton turns out the father is not the biological parent .
Parenting assments are already decided without a court order .
SW turning upto court not directed . Smiling knowing there profession protected by privilege even with malpractice .
Won’t offer any help if asked as the response is they are to busy already dealing with so-called back log .
So not much help when children go missing
I hear your pain in this, but I’m not sure your figures are quite on point…
1 in 4 are single parents not that kids parentage is misrepresented. … it was 100 refugee kids put in hotels, unsupervised by an already underfunded and overstretched service, and shortages of care placements.
I do hear you nobody own this as their problem enough, but this is possibly informed by austere toxic and hostile working cultures, govt. policy and funding!
Also I think the above is mostly referring to adult social services.
Fish rots from the head down.
Sorry for late reply but as to my figures
1 in ,4 court cases in Brighton the highest in the country turns out not the biological father !
Is correct data from DNA data based
In Europe this father’s requesting DNA over 33 % are not the biological father.
So to be clear . Men are simply raising another man’s child unaware.
Compulsory DNA testing is feared to raise that to possible 50%.
So why are the courts paying for DNA paternity tests at first court hearing ?
Because the numbers speak for themselves. And there nothing a father or non biological father can do .
124 million children are born in the world each year either not wanted or unplanned.
So to put in context . A man driving a range rover or not using a recycling bin is rather futile .
But that is the data
Solidarity with social workers!
It’s absolutely deadly that wages, working practices and service provisions remain underfunded with workers under supported and underpaid.. in the face of how many millions wasted on faulty, inadequate or unused covid provisions… continuing difficulties.
I think Frances Ryan puts it really well in her book ‘Crippled by austerity and the demonisation of disabled people’ amongst others, really helps describe the constructs of bullshit around understanding humans with support needs or inclusive access.
I suppose it’s not a problem for the prime minister.. too busy playing with his helicopter set and ‘so the king said’… while how many services are on strike, how much funding is misspent. I don’t see them offering beds for the elderly or in need, and don’t get taxed for having a spare room.
Adult social workers essentially work with everyone over the age of 25 with health or disability care and support needs. That is a huge demographic of people.
The death by service cuts funding model serves nobody, is always ultimately more expensive and inhumane.
It wouldn’t surprise me if child social and family services are on strike next too!!
Dear Oak,
Think you’ll find Rushi prefers playing with his Private Jet Set … rather than the more common Helicopter Set; but only if his wife lets him!
Social workers should be abolished they destroy families and put children through trauma