Social workers and care workers will be balloted for industrial action unless Wiltshire Council stop plans for ‘fire and rehire’ pay cuts, says the GMB Union. 

GMB can confirm that social workers and reablement workers will be balloted to join the ongoing industrial action being undertaken by traffic wardens across Wiltshire.

The existing action has taken in two days of strike action so far, and a seven-day strike is planned to start on Thursday, June 30.

The union says the centres around council plans to remove a contractual unsocial hours payment that will cost council employees up to 20 per cent of their wages.

They say the "refusal of council bosses to rule out the controversial practice of “Fire and Rehire” is the final straw", and is why other GMB members are asking to be balloted to join the industrial action being taken by traffic wardens. 

Keith Roberts, GMB Regional Organiser said: “What we are seeing is an act of extraordinary vandalism by arrogant council chiefs. Up until very recently, Wiltshire social work was regarded as exemplary across the country." 

Mr Roberts says the staff and managers feel "totally betrayed by the way their efforts have been undervalued".

GMB members have already been consulted and agreed they will take industrial action short of a strike, if necessary.

The union added: "Should the council pull the trigger on “Fire and Rehire” then it will become necessary.

“The council set up a so-called ‘working party’ that is exactly the sort of sham consultation that rogue employers use as a prelude for ‘fire and rehire.’ Our members won’t be fooled. 

“It is quite simple, if the council really has no intention of using ‘fire and rehire’ then they just need to say that they will not do it. Wiltshire Council are using weasel-words instead, and we are drawing our own conclusions."

Andy Brown, Deputy Chief Executive of Wiltshire Council, hit back at GMB, saying: “This is clearly an inflammatory statement designed to increase GMB’s membership".

Mr Brown added: "The Chief Executive wrote to GMB this week in response to the union’s letter, and it is disappointing that rather than continue this dialogue directly that GMB chooses once again to issue a press statement; further evidence to support the union’s objective of increasing membership.

“The changes to standardise terms and conditions have previously been raised with the unions through our Joint Consultative Committee before the pandemic and have therefore been long in development and discussion.

“Rather than make unhelpful public statements to the media, we urge GMB to put that energy into taking part in meaningful discussions to resolve this dispute.

“We value our staff and the vital work they do in our communities, and we will continue to listen to their views throughout this process.”