Borders home care in privatisation threat

UNISON Scotland has slammed a leaked report that threatens to privatise part of Borders Council's Home care service and make low-paid home carers redundant.

Branch Chair Edith Moody said; "It is no wonder that the council wants to keep this report secret.

"Threatening to privatise sections of the workforce who have legitimate equal pay claims is an underhand way of running away from their responsibility.

"Borders Home care service is an excellent service, valued highly by those who receive it. To suggest replacing a highly qualified service driven by the needs of the Borders, with one driven by the need to make a profit for a private company, is not 'Best Value' "Councils in England have tried this tactic and it has only ended up with more cases going to tribunal and a far poorer service to the people.

"The Borders' public value this service, and attempts to sell it off in order to cut it and avoid responsibility in paying these low-paid women the decent wage they should have been paying for years, will only lead to anger and more bad publicity for the Council", added Martin Smith, Branch Communications Officer.

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