To: Councillor Graham Dalton, Councillor Stephen Atkinson
Hands off our homes - support Lancashire care workers fighting back!
Will you support care workers who are standing up and taking action against Reform's plans to cut vital care services in Lancashire?
Lancashire County Council is threatening to close five care homes and five day centres as part of a "review" of its care services which could put hundreds of jobs at risk as well as threatening the homes and security of dozens of vulnerable residents and service-users who rely on vital council services.
Lancashire County Council is threatening to close five care homes and five day centres as part of a "review" of its care services which could put hundreds of jobs at risk as well as threatening the homes and security of dozens of vulnerable residents and service-users who rely on vital council services.
For years, care workers have worked in poorly maintained buildings, with short staffing meaning that agency work is heavily relied on. Despite these challenges, they have provided outstanding care.
Now, the council is using the poor state of these services as an excuse to shut them down – even though their bad decisions created this problem. During the pandemic, these workers were called heroes. Now, they are being treated with contempt.
For many care home and day centre residents, these workers are the closest they could call family. Staff have built up relationships for years with people in these places – they aren’t just buildings, they’re places where older people can feel safe and families under pressure receive vital support.
In June, the Reform UK council leadership voted to bring in a unit of cost-cutters.
One of the people leading the ‘review’ is Councillor Graham Dalton, who takes the cabinet lead on adult social care – and who owns a private care company.
No wonder workers have no faith in the council, and believe that this ‘review’ is the first step towards privatisation or closure.
UNISON have been informed by councillors that private firms have already been knocking at the door with various offers to buy the homes. Perhaps corporations see an easy target to make massive profits out of older people with nowhere else to go.
Once again, cash is being put over care – and Lancashire people are paying the price.
Workers have been told that there is no real consultation with them over the state of care work, and that they’ve been intimidated out of speaking to their union representatives. Staff have also been instructed not to speak to their own elected representatives about the issue.
But they won’t be stopped. With the full weight of UNISON and the wider trade union movement behind them, they know they have strength in numbers to push back against this thoughtless
"review".
Add your name to the petition, and let these workers know they won't be fighting this alone.
Why is this important?
Will you support these care workers taking action against Lancashire's Reform Council to fight for residents and keep their homes open?
