Care staff rotas

COMMUNITY care managers in Shetland will meet on Monday to decide on controversial changes to staff rotas at the isles’ care homes to help the council save money.

Trade unions have protested that proposals to change shift patterns at care centres are anti social and breach equal opportunities guidelines.

The unions have proposed an alternative rota that they say would treat day and night shift staff more fairly.

The changes are part of a massive savings exercise to cut council spending by 20 per cent across the board to avoid bankruptcy and preserve its oil funds.

Care unions point out that council ferrymen were treated fairly when their working patterns were changed in comparison to the predominantly part time female care staff.

Unions met the care service’s new interim director Simon Bokor Ingram for the first time on Tuesday after which negotiations were postponed for two weeks.

On Thursday Bokor Ingram said Tuesday’s meeting was “very positive”.

He said: “It was really useful to meet with union representatives and I have gone away with a number of points they have raised.

“I am looking at this and we need to come to a decision on the way forward when the project board meets on Monday, after which we will communicate with unions and staff.”