Social Workers End Pay Dispute as Larger Strike Threatens in Bath and North East Somerset

A recent pay dispute involving children’s social workers at Bath and North East Somerset Council has been settled, ending a series of strikes by 28 team managers and deputy team managers. These workers had taken industrial action over a pay regrading that placed them at the same pay grade as some of the staff they supervise. After several months of negotiations, the council and trade union Unison reached an agreement, bringing an end to the strike action.

A council spokesperson commented, “After constructive and focused discussions in recent weeks, the council and UNISON have reached agreement on the pay dispute relating to the roles of deputy team managers and team managers in children’s services. Achieving a joint solution is important as it enables the service to work together effectively to deliver positive outcomes for children, young people, and families in Bath and North East Somerset.”

The strike began following a February vote by team managers and deputy managers, resulting in four days of industrial action spread across three months. Protesters held a picket outside the Keynsham Civic Centre, demonstrating their concerns over pay equity.

Despite this resolution, a more significant dispute remains unresolved. Over 200 social workers face changes due to a proposed restructure of the children’s services department. This restructure includes the removal of several existing teams, five redundancies, and staff being reassigned to new roles. The potential for strike action is high, with 161 staff voting in May’s ballot: 90% favored strike action, and 97% supported taking action short of a strike.

Unison has indicated that the decision to proceed with strikes will depend on how the council handles these restructure proposals. The dispute is partly fueled by government “families first” social work reforms, which mandate the creation of multi-disciplinary family help teams. The council believes these reforms will reduce the number of social worker changes families experience, aiming to provide more consistent support.