A fiery feud between West Dunbartonshire carers and the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is continuing to burn as trade union bosses accuse the board of attempting to 'fire and rehire' its staff.
GMB Scotland claim the board is 'driving ahead' with their plans to redesign the rotas of carers across the authority despite issues being raised by the workforce.
The union, representing care staff, has accused managers of ignoring a council vote calling for more talks before imposing new home care rotas branded "unworkable" by staff.
Meanwhile, the HSCP has accused the union of spreading "misleading" information.
One experienced worker claims the changes imposed by the HSCP are costing her more than £400 a month after being forced to reduce her hours.
She said: “It is hard to express just how badly this has affected me. My stress levels are through the roof all the time. I am thinking about money constantly, how we are going to manage?
“It’s affecting my work and my family life. Some days I just feel so drained by all of it. I don’t how it can go on but I don’t know how it can end.
“It is affecting me but it is also affecting the people I have looked after for years and years. They don’t know who to expect now and are stressing too. It is so sad and needless.”
A spokesperson for the HSCP claims the majority of their staff have confirmed the new hours and shifts are more suitable for clients needs.
They added that they have been in contact with trade unions for three years in regards to the changes.
Bosses at GMB say they are consulting employment lawyers over the new contracts and claim a policy of “fire and rehire” is being imposed by stealth and against councillors’ wishes.
Tensions between the two parties recently flared after a senior HSCP manager allegedly replied to a union email with a "love heart emoji."
AnnMarie Carrigan, GMB organiser at West Dunbartonshire Council, the manager’s response to the union’s correspondence was “flippant, patronising, and absolutely typical of managers’ attitude.”
She said: “Our members have for months detailed the damage inflicted by these new shifts on their professional and personal lives.
“These staff are almost all women delivering crucial, life-changing care for some of the most vulnerable people in West Dunbartonshire.
“They deserve only respect and their voice to be heard and heeded. Instead, the senior manager in charge of their service responds to their serious concerns with a love heart emoji?
“It is condescending and completely inappropriate but is entirely typical of the management’s attitude throughout this dispute.
“They do not want to listen to their own staff and they do not want to understand the damage being inflicted on their lives and the care being delivered in homes across West Dunbartonshire.”
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A West Dunbartonshire HSCP spokesperson has slammed GMB bosses for sharing "misleading" and "inaccurate" information.
They said: "It is disappointing that there continues to be misleading and inaccurate information shared about Home Care redesign, including the inappropriate and personal targeting of officers, which is never acceptable.
"The majority of employees have confirmed the new hours and shifts are more suitable for clients' needs, and we continue to work with the very small number of employees to reach a mutually acceptable solution for their particular situation.
"We have been liaising with employees and Trade Union Representatives for more than three years and continue to do so while we embed changes to ensure our high standard of care at home continues."
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