Strike action looms at Glasgow care home

Strike action looms at Glasgow care home over “appalling” closure and redundancy plans

“Heroic” Glasgow residential care workers will be balloted for strike action from tomorrow (Friday 6 May) against “appalling” attempts by their employer to sack them in just a few weeks’ time on the minimum rate of redundancy pay.

Bosses of the Broomfield Court home in the city’s Barmulloch area told 47 stunned staff last month via Zoom the specialist dementia care home will close at the end of June, claiming it was “not financially viable” despite owners Larchwood Care increasing profits to £3.8 million last year.

A consultative ballot of GMB members, including care, catering, and domestic staff, unanimously supported moving to a statutory industrial action ballot to secure enhanced redundancy packages and additional payments for staff for working up until the closure date.

The industrial action ballot will run Monday 16 May with strikes possible just two weeks later.

GMB Scotland Organiser Kirsty Nimmo said: “Larchwood bosses have made it very clear this care home closure is all about profit and not people. Their appalling actions represent everything that’s wrong with our broken care system and the chronic exploitation of its workers.

“Put yourself in the shoes of staff. Two years ago, they were being applauded by politicians and the public for their heroic and selfless care of vulnerable residents in the grip of a fatal pandemic, a pandemic that hasn’t gone away, and now they are facing the loss of their livelihoods.

“Larchwood can’t be allowed to ditch these key workers on the cheap. Our members want better value from their employer for everything they’ve done, so they won’t face displacement or unemployment in immediate hardship.  It’s the very least they deserve.”

ENDS

Contact: GMB Scotland Organiser Kirsty Nimmo on 07710 618901 or GMB Scotland Communications on 07976 447077.