Sirona care workers will today (Friday 1st June) march through Keynsham to lobby local MP Jacob Rees Mogg for support in their fight against a pay cut.

The workers, many of whom are Mr Rees Mogg’s constituents, are unhappy that their MP has not responded to enquiries about the problem. They are calling on him to tell his fellow Conservatives on Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) council to find the money to fund Sirona properly and avoid the care worker pay cut.

Outfitted with UNISON placards and banners, the care workers will head from Keynsham library down the high street to Mr Rees Mogg’s office in the Conservative Association, where he is expected to be holding a surgery. A letter from affected staff will be delivered to Mr Rees Mogg outlining their concerns.

More than 120 care workers, who are members of public service union UNISON, are set to go on strike from Wednesday, 6th June. Their dispute centres on a management plan that would either see workers lose half an hour’s pay per shift due to a new unpaid break, or build up the breaks to be paid back as extra shifts worked for free.

UNISON organiser in B&NES John Drake said: “The care workers look after older people through challenging illnesses at the end of their lives. The last thing they deserve is a pay cut. Yet that is what B&NES and Sirona have served up. Mr Rees Mogg says he stands up for the people of Somerset. So let’s see him stand up for the Sirona care workers now.

“B&NES council cut £200,000 from Sirona and now claim it’s not their problem. I am not sure members of the public will feel that way. Care workers face losing hundreds of pounds per year and that’s why they have voted for strike action. If Mr Rees Mogg is serious about making work pay then he needs to call loudly and repeatedly on his fellow Conservatives running B&NES council to give Sirona proper funding.

“Sirona’s plan for extra shifts means staff will be left covering the costs for more childcare and travel just to get the same wages. The care workers are not asking for a fortune from B&NES, just to not suffer a cut to their already low incomes. Mr Rees Mogg can help avert the strike next week by lobbying B&NES council to fund the £170,000 hole their cut left in Sirona’s budget.”