UNISON Demonstration Against Cuts to Bryson Care Workers’ Terms & Conditions in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry
UNISON Demonstration Against Cuts to Bryson Care Workers’ Terms & Conditions in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry
31 May 2017 – for immediate release
UNISON members will again be gathering outside Bryson Care Offices in Derry and Belfast on Thursday 1st June to protest against the company’s continuing plans to reduce the terms and conditions of employment of their domiciliary/homecare workforce. Both demonstrations will commence at 12 noon at Bryson Care’s Offices, Gortfoyle House, Spencer Road, Derry and their Belfast Office at 28 Bedford Street.
Bryson Care is part of the larger Bryson Charitable Group. In recent months, the company secured a contract with the Western Health and Social Care Trust and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to provide domiciliary care services to people across the Trusts geographical areas.
UNISON is alarmed at Bryson Care’s plans to change the terms and conditions of their domiciliary care workforce by reducing sickness, mileage allowances and, enhanced rates of pay for working bank holidays and weekends.
Joe McCusker, UNISON Regional Organiser, speaking on Bryson Care’s plans says, “After securing a lucrative 5-year contract with both the Western Health Trust, and Belfast Health Trust, Bryson Care continue with their plan to worsen the terms and conditions of employment of their domiciliary care workforce.
These home care workers who provide an invaluable frontline service to the most vulnerable in our society feel totally undervalued and demoralised by Bryson Care’s plans to cut their terms and conditions of employment. This will have a devastating impact on the workers who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet.”
We are aware that Bryson moved to start paying mileage allowance to their Belfast based staff from May 1st after UNISON contacted their office, we have since learnt that Bryson has moved this to 1st June causing further hardship to staff who need car fuel costs to be paid as they occur.
UNISON is calling on Bryson Care to withdraw their plans to cut the domiciliary care workers terms and conditions of employment and to enter into dialogue with the workers Trade Union - UNISON.
Members of the public and other interested groups are also welcome to attend the demonstrations in both Belfast and Derry.
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For further information please contact Joe McCusker, Regional Organiser on 07776 856286 or the UNISON Regional Centre on 028 90 270190.