West Dunbartonshire Council Carers Strike FAQs

Carers in West Dunbartonshire Council will be taking strike from 06:59 on the 10th of April 2024 to 22:31 on the 11th of April 2024. You should not carry out any homecare shifts during this period.

GMB are calling on carers in West Dunbartonshire to take part in a work to rule from the 12th of April onwards where they do not prompt or administer medication.

You can join GMB at any time from now until strike days to be covered by industrial action however please note you must join by at least the 7^th of April 2024 to be eligible for strike pay.

To join speak to your local rep or click here: www.gmb.org.uk/join

GMB will be holding two pickets on both days of strike action from 8am-10am. These will be held outside the Clydebank Health Centre (G81 1BS) and the WDC Church Street Offices (G82 1QL). If you are scheduled to work on a strike day you should make every effort to attend a picket line.

On the 10^th of April we will then be joining Home Carers in Falkirk and Renfrewshire also taking strike action for a joint rally in George Square. We are in the process of arranging transport from the picket lines for this.

GMB  will provide flags, placards, and banners for these.

Any children, family, and friends are also welcome at the pickets to show support.

All GMB members working in West Dunbartonshire Home Care who have joined by at least the 7^th of April 2024 will be eligible for strike pay.

The best place to complete strike pay forms are on the picket lines, that’s one of the reasons it’s important you come along. If you pay your union fees off your wages make sure to bring your bank details along to fill out this part of the form.

If you do not come along to the picket line we will have to post a form to you and get proof that you took strike action in the form of a pay slip with a deduction. This can create significant delays.

GMB will be offering strike pay as agreed for this industrial action depending on how many hours you are losing due to the strike.

You are still encouraged to join the picket lines and joint rally to make your voice heard! Just make sure you don’t fill out a strike pay form.

So long as your annual leave was submitted before strike days were announced the council will still honour these and you will still get paid.

If you’re available, you will still be welcome on the pickets and rallies however make sure you don’t fill out a strike pay form.

If you are off on long term sick you will continue to be paid on the strike days.

You will still be welcome on the pickets however make sure you don’t do anything that could allow the council to question your sick line or fill out a strike pay form.

Peaceful picketing is legal. Picketing should be carried out at or near an entrance or exit from a site at which you work. When others who are not in dispute come into work or use these entrances or exits, pickets must not interfere with them.

Picketing is an activity to peacefully persuade members not to go in to work. There will be Picket Supervisors from the union in place on the days of strike action, and further information will be available shortly. Picketing isn’t dangerous and everyone shows that they are serious and united in taking action.

From the 12^th of April onwards we are asking members not to prompt or administer medication. This is because we do not believe the council are recognising the skill required for this and therefore paying you for medication.

West Dunbartonshire Council will have to make alternative arrangements service user’s medication.

GMB will likely agree exemptions to for serious life and limb cover however we will not make any exemptions that would seriously undermine the strike.

West Dunbartonshire Council have had months to address the problem of your pay and have chosen not to. It’s up to them to settle this dispute.