Swindon Council Social workers are striking

No discussion, no sitting down at the table, they are striking.

“Unbelievably, Swindon Borough Council are rebuffing calls from GMB for ACAS talks, saying they don't know what we want to talk about.“

I am shocked at this. In my years as a SBC Councillor/cabinet member and looking back beyond that there were no strikes. You would always resolve the issues, regardless of which way the decisions would fall, you work with the staff.

https://swindonlink.com/news/socialworkers/

Social workers going on strike leaves some of our most vulnerable children even more vulnerable. Some of the first training Councillors receive is around corporate parenting responsibilities.

2.1 As soon as elected, a councillor become a corporate parent to the children and young people in the care of Swindon Council and those with Care Experience. These children look to their corporate parents and trust us to ensure they get the best support, guidance and opportunities possible.

https://proceduresonline.com/trixcms1/media/12452/swindon-corporate-parenting-terms-of-reference.pdf

“The council seems to be asleep on the job, employing a strategy of sticking its head in the sand and hoping the issues will go away. 

“Emma Bushell is the cabinet member with responsibility for staffing but she has seemingly been more interested in complaining about GMB press releases than in working with the council’s officers to resolve the issues behind this increasingly bitter industrial dispute.”

https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/swindon-council-asleep-on-job-social-work-strikes

Quite why there is no uproar over this is very concerning. I have written to the cabinet member responsible for an update on this, as it is unacceptable to leave our children like this.