Sirona staff in UNISON will vote on strike action over changes to their pay and rotas. The changes would see around two hundred careworkers taking a pay cut, or having to work longer to get the same income.

It is reported bosses have issued a notice that unless staff accept the Sirona pay cut, they will be dismissed and re-engaged to force them onto the new arrangements. The 200 workers are based in homes around Midsomer Norton, Bath and Keynsham.

Management are extending working hours as an ‘unpaid break’ of thirty minutes per shift. But in most cases, these breaks will not be factored into existing shifts. Instead, staff will build up a backlog of time owed, meaning they have to work an entire extra shift effectively for free, or see the equivalent money deducted from their wages.

The union also says that staff are being made to cover the shifts of colleagues who are sick or on annual leave, in addition to the days that they already work, without extra payment. If they do not do this they will have the pay deducted from their salary.

The care workers affected earn just above the minimum wage of £7.85.

Many workers have told UNISON about the hardship the Sirona pay cut would cause them. One member told UNISON that working longer will mean she will not be able to pick up shifts at the second job she relies on to get by.

Another member said additional shifts would mean she could not look after her elderly parent. Many employees have raised concerns that the new shifts, which will limit their ability to pick up ad-hoc ‘bank work’, which they use to make ends meet.

UNISON South West organiser, Lewis Carson, said: “These care workers look after people with dementia and other challenging illnesses, but they are paid minimum wage. Now Sirona bosses want to hit them with a pay cut. Staff have been clear throughout they have had enough and are ready to stand up for a fair deal.

“We want family and loved ones needing care to get the dignity and attention they deserve. But Sirona is already struggling to recruit new staff. This pay cut will make recruitment problems worse, meaning fewer staff to look after care home residents.

“The workers are dedicated to their patients, but who would stick out a tough and draining job when you can get the same pay stacking shelves in a supermarket? Sirona bosses must scrap their pay cut plan now.”

Speaking to The Journal this week, Janet Rowse, Chief Executive of Sirona Care & Health, said: “We have been working with the staff and unions since last July to try and find a solution to the gap in funding; we are disappointed to have reached a point where we understand Unison are considering industrial action, although we have yet to hear from them that this is the case.

“We have offered conciliation via the independent body, ACAS, but have not heard from Unison about this. We remain committed to finding a solution, but we have to find a way of continuing to provide high quality care within our reduced level of resources.

“We do understand how upset staff are, and we know they give phenomenal care to residents and tenants; it is with great reluctance that we do anything which impacts directly on them and undermines the very good relationship we have had until now with them and the union.

“However, we are dismayed that staff are telling us that Unison have discouraged them from engaging with their managers, who are trying to find shift patterns which would best suit an individual’s personal circumstances. This means many may not be aware of what might be possible for them personally. We are committed to ensuring that staff have the opportunity, if they want it, to maintain their income level by adjusting their overall number of paid hours.”