Staff in social work teams across Lancashire are to walk out for five days starting from today (August 9) in a second round of strike action over salary grades and working cover, according to trade union UNISON.

The council said the strike action will be "discontinuous" adding that it is continuing to work with staff and the trade union "to reach a positive resolution to the ongoing dispute".

As many as 200 social care support officers and hearing impairment officers, employed by Lancashire Council, are to take part in the strike. This follows four days of action taken at the end of July. 

Staff want to be paid at the correct rates for the jobs they're doing but the local authority has so far refused, says UNISON.

UNISON says the workers have reluctantly taken the decision to strike over the weekend from just after midnight tomorrow morning (Friday) and ending just before twelve at night on Tuesday. 

The staff conducts social care assessments for adults and arrange and review care packages for people with additional needs. This includes older people and those with physical or learning disabilities, and mental health issues.

Social worker shortages country-wide and increasing demand across the county means their role has expanded significantly over the past decade, says UNISON. 

The union adds that the support staff frequently find themselves being used in place of social workers, but without receiving any more pay.

Staff shortages mean the support workers now regularly undertake far more complex tasks than previously, such as supporting survivors of domestic abuse, victims of sexual exploitation, and people going through periods of serious self-neglect.

The dispute has arisen because the staff are employed on grade six of the council's salary scale but believe they should be on the next grade up because of the challenging work they undertake. Grade six staff are paid up to £4,200 a year less than those on the higher grade seven, says UNISON.

UNISON north west regional organiser James Rupa said: "Over the years, Lancashire County Council has relied on the dedication and hard work of social care support officers, expecting them to deliver vital services while working above their pay grade.

"The council has taken advantage of their expertise and good nature, effectively obtaining social work services on the cheap.

"Rather than addressing the workers’ fair request for a role regrading, the council continues to ignore their concerns. Frustrated staff are leaving for better-paid positions, and those who remain feel compelled to take action.

"If this situation persists, the council will continue to face problems with recruitment and retention. The vacancy rate in adult social care is around 22 per cent and this could have a severe impact on Lancashire’s most vulnerable residents.

"These workers will carry on their campaign until the council addresses the significant challenges they are confronting." 

Tracey, a social care support officer, said: "We are a vital lifeline for many of Lancashire’s most vulnerable. Without our visits and assessments, critical signs of worsening health would go unnoticed and care plans could not be followed.

"We look out for anyone showing signs of mental health issues or a deteriorating physical condition. We adjust care packages to prevent crises and make sure people can live with dignity and safety.

"After years of being taken advantage of, my colleagues and I are now expected to perform tasks once reserved for much better-paid social workers. We used to assist social workers but now we're expected to replace them.

"We raised these concerns two years ago, and now we find ourselves beginning our second round of strike action. The county council must regrade our jobs so we can continue to provide crucial care and get the fair rate for our work without being stretched beyond our limits.

"We all want to go back to work and look after people, but we just can’t do that if things carry on as they are." 

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "We have been informed by the trade union that our adult social care support officers (SCSOs) have balloted and agreed their intention to take discontinuous strike action between Friday, August 9, and Tuesday 13.

"This means that while the strike is unlikely to be all five days, strike action can be called on any of the five days.  

"Robust contingency arrangements are in place to ensure business continuity and to ensure that Lancashire residents are not adversely affected should strike action occur.

"We had started an appeals process linked to the regrading applications from a group of our social care support officers in which SCSOs and the trade union has been fully involved.

"However, the trade union, alongside the SCSOs organising committee, has taken the decision to suspend their involvement with the appeals process.

"The county council is committed to the appeals process and is continuing to work with our staff and the trade union to reach a positive resolution to the ongoing dispute."