Christmas truce called in Addaction strike

Drug and alcohol support workers embroiled in a major industrial dispute will not return to the picket line before Christmas.

Around 30 employees of charity Addaction working in Wigan and Leigh have called a halt to front-line action in the ongoing row about the failure to match NHS pay rises.

Trade union Unison says it will now re-ballot the striking workers to get a longer mandate for action in the new year.

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However, despite further strikes being put on the backburner the two sides in the dispute have clashed once again after a staff survey carried out by Unison found shockingly-low levels of belief and confidence in the service.

Employees told the union services were “dangerous” because of low staffing levels and waits were “atrocious”.

However, Addaction said the damning verdict did not tally with the one the watchdog had given.

Unison also ramped up the pressure on Wigan Council, which commissions the services from Addaction, saying it should act as it is not getting what it asked for.

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Unison regional organiser Paddy Cleary said: “In spite of the continued mistreatment by their employer, these heroes have decided to postpone action until after Christmas in the best interests of the service users.

“But make no mistake, they are more determined than ever to fight for what is rightfully theirs and will continue the fight into 2020 if Addaction do not come to their senses.

“Pay promises have been broken and Addaction staff are feeling more betrayed than ever.

“Wigan Council needs to look at its own role in this too. A copy of the survey results has been shared with the council and they should be in no doubt they are not getting the quality of service they thought they were commissioning. The council needs to urgently review this contract.”

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Unison recently met Addaction again but the sides failed to agree. An offer to the striking workers was made but the union said it was a one-off sum and it described it as “derisory”.

So far there have been 11 days of strike action in the row.

Staff registered their unhappiness in a survey which found 70 per cent of those questioned would not be happy with Addaction’s service being offered to a relative or friend and just 20 per cent thinking service user care was the top priority.

Those figures compare to less than 10 per cent and 76 per cent respectively among NHS staff.

Employees described staffing levels as inadequate, saying low pay hindered recruitment efforts.

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They also said people were offered “script and go” services, meaning brief five-minute contacts with staff.

Mr Cleary said: “This is a service in crisis. It is shocking that the staff who work in this service regard it as so inadequate that most would not be happy for their own friends or relatives to receive it.

“A ‘script-and-go’ service is simply not good enough, and staff are feeling tremendous stress and worry from knowing that vulnerable people in their care are not getting the service they need to keep them safe.”

The response rate to the survey was 47 per cent, which Addaction suggested meant it may be skewed.

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A spokesperson for the charity said: “Unison’s survey isn’t representative of our whole workforce in Wigan and Leigh, but only a proportion of staff. We are in regular dialogue with the team and will discuss the issues raised in the survey with them.

“However, the most recent Care Quality Commission report rated our Wigan and Leigh services as Good, highlighting the personalised recovery packages it offers to all clients and the service’s focus on psycho social support as well as prescribed medicines.

“The service is fully staffed with a permanent management team in place.

“As a charity, we’re committed to providing the best possible support for people who use our treatment services, while also providing staff with a fair wage and good working conditions.

“We are in conversation with Unison and are committed to trying to work through the issues in a way that is fair and sustainable.”