Glasgow's Fight For Equal Pay

The campaign launched by Glasgow's home carers over regular Covid testing should give the rest of the workforce encouragement in their ongoing fight for equal pay with Glasgow City Council (GCC).

The truth is there's really nothing to stop GCC from sitting down now with the Claimant Organisations to negotiate a settlement of all the outstanding equal pay cases.

Because the ongoing claims all relate to Glasgow's 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay arrangements and do not rely upon the introduction of a completely new job evaluation (JE) which, as regular readers know, has been seriously delayed as a result of Covid-19.

So if GCC politicians and officials keep dragging their feet the home carers and the rest of the workforce know exactly what to do - don't be fobbed off with excuses.    

  

Glasgow Home Carers On A High (18/01/21)

Glasgow's Home Carers must be on a high at the news they have reached a settlement in their dispute with GCC and the Scottish Government over regular Covid testing.

Now it should never have come to this if you ask me, but it just goes to show what can be achieved when the workforce takes a united stand.

  

Glasgow - Industrial Action Looms (18/01/21)

At the start of the Coronavirus outbreak back in March/April 2020 Glasgow’s home carers faced a huge battle with their employer and Scottish Ministers just to be issued with face masks to protect themselves and their vulnerable clients. 

The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council both insisted that face coverings were not necessary, even though it made obvious sense to be 'better safe than sorry'.

I know this because I said so myself on the blog at the time (see post below dated 8 April 2020).

Since last spring scientists have confirmed that around a third of people who catch Covid-19 do not show any symptoms and are therefor spreading the disease as they go about their normal, everyday business.

Yet Glasgow's home carers now have a similar fight on their hands over regular Covid testing and feel they have no option but to go on strike to be heard.

Which is scandalous if you ask me because routine Covid testing is provided to other groups of key workers - not forgetting the fact that Scottish Ministers pulled out all the stops on additional testing to get university students home safely for Christmas 2020.

So why are Glasgow's home carers being treated so shabbily - like second class citizens?

  

Better Safe Than Sorry (08/04/20)

The Scottish Government's official advice to Home Care  staff is to wear a face mask only if a client is suspected to be, or is confirmed to be, Covid-19 positive. 

The official advice goes on to say:

"Where the person is neither suspected to be, nor confirmed as COVID positive, care at home staff carrying out personal care should wear what they have always worn – that is, an apron and gloves; and no mask.

"This applies regardless of the 2m distance. The same would apply to a community nurse visiting the same client: they too would wear gloves and apron, and no mask.

"Furthermore, home care workers and community staff going into people’s houses should only wear a mask when they suspect the person has COVID, and they cannot keep a 2m distance.

"If this is not suspected – or if they can keep a 2m distance – then they do not need to wear a mask."

What puzzles me is how individual carers are supposed to know the state of every client's health before going into their homes - and how is it even possible for Home Carers to keep 2 metres distance from vulnerable clients whom they are helping to keep out of hospital?   

So why not put everyone's safety first - the safety of both the carers and their clients - by ensuring that the official advice is changed and that face masks are worn until further notice, as a matter of course.

After all these are very scary and unprecedented times and if the carers feel safer - their clients are bound to feel the benefit as well.

  

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18361679.glasgow-home-care-service-accused-not-using-ppe/?

Glasgow home care service Cordia accused of not providing PPE for care workers

By Catherine Hunter - Evening Times


A GLASGOW care service has disputed claims that staff are not being provided with protective equipment as they carry out home visits to vulnerable people.

Cordia, which is delivered by the City Council under the management of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership has been accused of not providing enough PPE (personal protective equipment) by worried Glaswegians.

Some members of the public say they have spotted staff going into homes without adequate PPE.

One concerned constituent, who doesn’t want to be identified, said: “I have a family member who works as a carer for Cordia.

“She was promised she would have protective equipment supplied as she has to care for elderly patients which also means going into their house.

“She has not been provided with a mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and was given only three aprons. She works seven days on and seven days off.

“How are three aprons going to last? She is in her mid-50s and is at an increased risk because of this.

“Cordia and putting the lives of their carer staff at risk as they are not providing the necessary equipment. I am extremely worried for my family member.”

Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has confirmed that they are following all the guidelines issues by Public Health Scotland by providing enough equipment.

No member of staff should be working without the protection that is appropriate for their role.

A spokesman said: "Glasgow HSCP is following guidelines issued by Public Health Scotland in providing staff with the appropriate PPE equipment required to safely carry out their duties in the community.

"There is currently sufficient supply of PPE so that no member of HSCP staff should be working without the protection that is appropriate for their role.