Thera care workers prepare for action


Gary Freeman

The snow might have cancelled many events on 23 March but it did not prevent members and supporters of Thera workers in Unison South Derbyshire Health branch and Notts County Unison holding a protest.

Thera workers provide care and support for people with learning disabilities and they are facing massive attacks on their terms and conditions.

These attacks will not only create a low-paid workforce at the beck and call of the employer, but will mean the service to people being supported will suffer.

Staff will not stay under the proposed terms and there will be no continuity of support.

A ballot for strike action closed on 25 March and Unison members wanted to continue their publicity campaign.

The protest took place one day after the workers started receiving letters demanding they sign new contracts.

The protest ended with us waving our banner and placards as we made our way to the meeting. Despite the weather there was an upbeat mood.

One elderly woman had given her robust view of what she would do to Cameron, and a group of men standing outside the pub gave their vocal support with another view of what they would do to the prime minister.