Bristol City Council is planning to privatise homecare services; and Unite have accused BCC of both lying and picking on the most vulnerable in society to save money.
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has expressed outrage that every
homecare assistant currently employed directly by Bristol City Council
will lose their job as the work is contracted out to cheaper private
sector providers. Unite regional co-ordinating officer, Steve Preddy, said:
"Hundreds of homecare workers, mostly women who have dedicated much of their working lives to serving older people who are housebound, terminally ill or otherwise unable to care for themselves, have been lied to and have now found out they are to lose their jobs. "It is shameful that Bristol City Council has decided to abandon
providing services directly to older people who are in need of care at home." Homecare assistants were personally assured in meetings last October, by the Executive Member for Care Services, Cllr John Rogers that the Council would not cease to provide vital homecare services and all jobs were safe.

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