Ealing pay cut reversed


A pay cut for Ealing care home staff in west London has been reversed, following consultation with staff and the GMB and UNISON unions. Instead, pay rates will effectively be frozen, with next month’s 30p National Living Wage rise offset by a reduction in the Local Market Weighting (LMW). 


According to GMB senior organiser Keith Williams, cuts of between 5% and 12% were proposed for four homes run by Viridian Housing. The company’s PFI contact with Ealing Council required it to notify and enter into meaningful consultations with the union. 


After consultation and several meetings with UNISON and GMB reps, the company promised not to implement the proposed adjustments to hourly rates or allowances while the negotiations were taking place. 


Pay will now effectively be frozen, but staff should be “slightly better off” as the transfer of money from the LMW into the basic hourly rate (a contractual change) meant that some allowances, sick pay, annual leave and pension contributions would be calculated on the higher basic hourly rate.


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