Social workers to begin three days of strikes in South Eastern trust

SOCIAL workers in family and childcare services will begin three days of selective strike action across the South Eastern trust from Wednesday.

Taking place as voters across Northern Ireland cast their ballots on Thursday, it follows a previous strike in May from social workers in the Belfast trust area.

At the time, workers had told the Irish News how chronic understaffing meant they were worried that vulnerable children were being put at risk.

The author of a major report into reforming childcare services in Northern Ireland, Professor Ray Jones, also said that without change it was certain that more children would end up in care.

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NIPSA has said the latest industrial action has been timed to bring attention back on the crisis in health and social care away from the usual “sectarian headcount” of elections.

Picket lines are to be in place at Newtownards, Downpatrick and Lisburn Hospitals, with strikers also planning demonstrations outside polling booths and election count centres.

Measures have been taken with employers to ensure that ‘life and limb cover’ is in place.

Thomas McKillop from NIPSA told the Irish News that “an absolute funding crisis” meant children’s services were facing collapse without intervention.

“NIPSA’s position has always been that we need a reform of the fiscal floor, we need more money put into health,” he said.

“This social work situation has been going on for so long that it’s nearly at the point of no return.

“So we need urgent investment in social work training, investment in places as children’s services is on the brink of collapse.”

NIPSA has called on the public to support their action by gathering on Friday morning at 10.30am in Belfast at Erskine House, Chichester Street “as the stance these workers are taking will ultimately be to the benefit of all users of the NHS”.