Exclusive:Glasgow social work pay cuts 'risk collapse in care of vulnerable children'
Pay cuts for social work managers will do significant damage to services across children, adult and justice, the unions have claimed
Pay cuts for Glasgow social workers risk causing a “serious failure” in the care of vulnerable children, experts have said.
Glasgow City Council’s new pay and grading scheme will result in pay reductions for senior staff and “damage public safety”, unions claim.
They said social work is a unique profession with extreme pressures and responsibilities across care and justice.
Both the Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW) and the Social Workers Union (SWU) said services will become less safe as staff become less willing to put in the extra work required, enter the roles at all or stay in them for as long.
George Hannah, SASW Policy Advisor, said: “We recognise the need for Glasgow City Council to make changes to pay and conditions, and we fully support action to rectify historic pay injustices.
“However, skilled and dedicated social workers in Glasgow are facing significant pay cuts at a time when they have never held more risk, in teams affected by vacancies, burnout, staff churn and increasingly challenging national agendas.”
The long-standing equal pay claim in Glasgow has led to the local authority announcing plans for a rationalisation of pay and job roles as part of a new pay deal for the city.
This new deal, which aims to create a fair playing field for the pay of male and female workers, affects team leaders and above.
However, 82 per cent of social workers are women and, the union says, correcting one gender pay gap injustice is creating another.
The unions say social work is a unique profession that provides a unique public service, which should be valued and fairly remunerated.
They have written to COSLA, the umbrella body for councils, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government.
A council spokeswoman said the pay and grading scheme had to be replaced with one that rewards equal work with equal pay.
The new scheme will come into force in April 2027.
She said: “Although a minority of around 11 per cent will face a loss, we recognise the impact that will have and have committed to protecting their pay until April 2028.
“Where staff are in detriment, the council is also committed to exploring any mitigation that is possible without compromising the integrity of the scheme – including service reform.”
The unions are now calling for the Scottish Government and COSLA to introduce national terms and conditions that put social workers on a par with other professions.
The unions said the pay cut will destabilise social work in Glasgow and undermine leadership and management roles, “creating new risks for vulnerable people at a time of intense pressure on services”.
General Secretary of SWU, Dave Callow, said: “SWU and SASW stand shoulder to shoulder in with our members who, through no fault of their own, will be wondering how they will make ends meet if these proposals go forward.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The Scottish government recognises and values the essential role social workers play in delivering a range of services and we remain committed to supporting a sustainable and valued social work workforce.
“Pay for social workers employed by local authorities is a matter for councils and the Scottish Joint Council bargaining process.”
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