SX to axe 3000 jobs plus terms & conditions shocker!

9 Jun 2011

The 3000 jobs include all front-line staff.  The breakdown is as follows: 304 nurses out of 5,586 nursing and medical staff (5.4%) - 1275 carers out of 25,126 care staff (5%) - 440 domestic and laundry and 238 maintenance out of 5552 housekeeping, domestic and maintenance (12.2%) - 690 catering out of 3509 catering staff (19.7%).

Whilst this is shocking enough, what has not been ­mentioned is that Southern Cross are intent on dramatically changing the terms and conditions of staff ‘fortunate’ to remain in a job.  These plans are equally as shocking! The proposal is to force all remaining staff onto a new SX ­contract. To be clear, this doesn’t mean that anyone who is already on a Southern Cross contract is ‘safe’. Their plans are to move EVERYONE onto a new ­contract. You will also not be surprised to know that these include drastically reduced terms and conditions.

Examples of intended changes:

The ­limited sick pay scheme ­currently in place will be scrapped and only statutory sick pay will be available.  All ­contracts will have a 20% ‘flexing of hours’ term, meaning the home manager can reduce or increase staff hours by 20% at a moment’s ­notice.  All contracts will not be home ­specific and staff can be asked to work at any home at any time.  All full time hours will be 42 hours but will only be paid 381/2 hours.  All staff ­contracts will be opted out of the Working Time ­Directive.  Southern Cross want to force through such changes and they say that if this is not voluntarily accepted by staff, they will be ­dismissed and asked to leave the company ­without ­redundancy pay.  This is unacceptable - GMB will fight to ­protect our members.  We’re currently in talks with the ­company and our legal advisors and will keep our members updated.