Residential workers stiffen the fight

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Bury 50 RESIDENTIAL social workers are now out on strike in Bury, Lancashire, as a result of the senior management's escalation of the national NALGO dispute for a 35 hour week and paid overtime.

Monday October 17 was a national day of action, and staff from residential homes throughout the country were on 24 hour strike. Everywhere but in Bury, it was expected that senior staff would keep the homes ticking over.

In Bury, confrontation was forced by senior management going into three children's homes on Monday morning, cooking breakfast, sending the children to school, and then, while they were away, packing clothes into dustbin bags ready to move the children out without prior warning on their return from school.

Social workers weren't told parents weren't informed of their removal, and 27 children were shunted round the north west, some as far away as Wales, Southport and Liverpool.

The striking residential workers got back to work on Tuesday morning to find themselves locked out.

These 25 have now been joined on strike by a further 25 NALGO members in solidarity against this victimisation.

These workers simply took part in a one-day strike, and have now found themselves prevented from working: or drawing their pay. Tory councillors are saying that the three homes will stay closed until the workers give an undertaking not to continue with the industrial action.

Some are talking of privatising the care of children and the elderly, and closing the homes altogether.

Distressed children have run away from their new 'homes'; to know the whereabouts of their children, and senior staff seem not to know in some cases. Children have been moved to as many as three successive places with no proper records being kept.

Some children were sent back to their parents without any clear assurance that they were welcome. The whole thing is unbelievable unless you know Bury council's record on social services.

In 1976-7 the Tories tried to close seven establishments to make cuts, but were stopped by the united action of the unions and community groups in the Bury Action Group. The councillors seem to have no concern for the welfare of their dependent clients.

In this present dispute some children have been taken to homes under false pretences, and most have been wrongly placed. For example, one child in care because of parent's illness has been placed in a school for maladjusted children, and another has beef placed in a locked room with a child accused of murder!

All the children have had their schooling disrupted, and for some in their fifth year this will have a lasting effect. None has been moved because it was thought to be in their longterm interest. There have been no long-terms plans, no caseconferences. They have been moved as pawns in the management's attempt to force the workers to capitulate.

NALGO in Bury has called a day of strike action in the social services department for Wednesday October 26, and the dispute is sure to escalate if the council refuses to reinstate the locked-out workers and return the children home.

Bury North constituency Labour Party has passed a motion of support for the workers. This support now needs to be transformed into active solidarity on the picket-lines and lobbies. nalga Residential Social AGAINST Social workers protest in Bury Social Workers We Care I Employers Our 40 Г Che Wor Nolgo RESIDENTIA SOCIAL ICKET

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