Health workers will march against plans

HUNDREDS of frontline health workers will march through Grimsby this weekend to protest against planned changes to their terms and conditions.

Care Plus Group is hoping to save £900,000 by slashing pay for unsocial hours, maternity, paternity and sickness leave, as reported.

Members of Unison, Unite and RCN plan to march from Orwell Street car park, near Riby Square, at 10.30am on Saturday, to show their outrage at the plans.

They will head along Freeman Street, Ellis Way and Victoria Street, arriving at the Riverhead at 11.30am for rally speeches.

RCN Officer Sharon Benstead said: "We want people to see how passionate we are about saving these services and protecting the staff who run them.

"If the Care Plus Group insists on imposing these unfair terms and conditions they will lose experienced staff and the local community will suffer as a result.

"We are urging our supporters to join us on the march to show Care Plus how important this is."

CPG was formed in July 2011 as a social enterprise and provides services including community nursing, help with drug and alcohol misuse, support for people with learning disabilities and those needing end-of-life care.

Changes to staff's terms and conditions were first mooted in January and a formal consultation process began in April.

An agreement with union representatives could not be reached and unions fear CPG is now set to dismiss all staff and ask them to sign contracts containing new terms.

Paul Swarbrick, of Unison, said: "These are frontline staff carrying out vital work and they cannot afford to lose thousands of pounds each year through indirect cuts to their wages.

"We hope the march will draw attention to the issue and make Care Plus realise that they need to meet with union representatives again to draw up a plan which will not have an adverse impact on employees and, in turn, the people of North East Lincolnshire."

Dave Monaghan, Unite regional officer, added: "A number of members have already expressed that if they are dismissed they will not accept the new contracts and will look for alternative employment, which will have detrimental implications for health and social care in North East Lincolnshire."

A spokeswoman for Care Plus Group said: "Once the comments received as part of the consultation have been considered at board level, a decision around next steps and time scales will be taken.

"One option is for staff to be issued with notice to change their current terms and then offering immediate re-engagement on the revised terms and conditions of employment."