Aberdeenshire HOMECARERS' BRIEFING
1 NOVEMBER 2006
Firstly, thank you for taking the opportunity to speak to us while
we have been out and about at the "signing days" and at our recent
single status meetings.
We last wrote to you in July following our meeting with Aberdeenshire
Council when we discussed issues you had raised following the implementation
of the guaranteed hours contracts in January this year.
We met again with the Council last week and again discussed the
following issues:
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CHANGES TO SHIFT PATTERNS The Council
believe the short shift patterns are working but acknowledge the
practice of having only 2 days off per fortnight is continuing to
prove difficult for many staff. There have been discussions on different
shift patterns and the Council is actively looking for alternatives
- they will let you know if there are any proposed changes to the
patterns.
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TRAVEL TIME This continues to be a
difficult discussion topic. In the all-in rate of pay, homecarers
receive a 5% element that is intended to compensate for travel time.
This suits many homecarers who travel short distances but those
homecarers that have to drive some distance between clients are
often travelling in their own time. If you feel you do significant
travel that is not paid for please contact UNISON and we will pass
the information to Joanna Hynde. We need to know how many homecarers
feel this affects them so we can try to resolve this.
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REAL TIME/TIME RECORDING At the moment
Aberdeenshire Council believes the current system of time recording
is adequate. There have been difficulties for homecarers whose clients
either do not have a telephone or the phones do not allow certain
numbers to be called. The Council is aware of these difficulties
and is trying to resolve them.
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FAVOURITISM Aberdeenshire Council believes
that since recent changes in management in some areas the issue
of favouritism is no longer a major issue. If you feel this is still
a problem please contact us - again we will make sure that Joanna
Hynde is aware of this.
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BANKED HOURS A number of you raised
the issue of banking hours, particularly when you were not allocated
enough hours for your contract when others were working hours in
excess of their contracts. This meant you were building up an excessive
amount of hour to pay back. Others raised the issue of having banked
hours when you were off sick or on holiday. Aberdeenshire Council
believes this situation is now well on the way to being resolved.
You do not accrue banked hours when off sick or on holiday and Aberdeenshire
Council believes the work is being shared out more evenly so that
banked hours are not building up. If this is not the case for you
please let us know.
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COVER FOR HOLIDAYS AND SICK LEAVE Teams
of homecarers were established so they could provide cover for each
other - this has eased the pressure but it is hoped once a computer
system is developed it will only take one phone call and the cover
will be arranged. This will end the current practice of "phoning
around" and make things much simpler.
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PERSONAL ALARMS Some staff have reported
feeling vulnerable when out and about at night. UNISON believes
that all staff should feel and be safe and secure at work. Aberdeenshire
Council will issue personal alarms to staff if they feel it will
make them feel safer.
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HOLIDAYS Many staff are taking their
holidays based on their guaranteed hours, not realising they are
actually entitled to take holidays based on actual hours worked
i.e. if you have been working more than 18 hours per week regularly
then you will be entitled to more than 18 hour per week holiday
pay. This means that many of you still have significant hours of
holiday to take. Aberdeenshire Council believes they are working
with homecarers to ensure that everyone not only takes the leave
they are entitled to but also gets paid for it.
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SINGLE STATUS Single status will bring
in many changes for all workers in Aberdeenshire Council. As yet
no final decision has been made on the proposals. What we do know
is:
- You will no longer receive an all-in rate of pay
- You will get enhancements if you work weekends
- You will get an unsocial hours payment if you work unsocial
hours
- You will get a shift allowance if you work shifts
- You will get a mileage allowance if you drive your own car for
work
- You will be paid overtime rates if you work more than 37 hour
per week
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IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES OR ISSUES TO RAISE PLEASE CONTACT 01224
620624 OR inez.teece@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
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