Industrial action at Casa Paola elderly home from Saturday
Solidarjetà accuses management of intimidation and refusing to negotiate a collective agreement for care and maintenance staff
The home for the elderly Casa Paola will be hit by industrial action from Saturday after Solidarjetà announced a trade dispute with its management.
The union claimed the management refused to enter into negotiations on a collective agreement and accused it of “intimidatory behaviour” towards several union members.
Last month, Solidarjetà was recognised as the only union representing members in collective bargaining with Casa Paola. However, it claims to have been subjected to “hostility” from the care home’s management.
They said the management “refused” to consider negotiating a collective agreement for its nurses, senior care assistants, care assistants, health aids, and maintenance workers and technicians.
Casa Paola is operated by Lyons Care.
Several union members have also spoken about “retaliatory and intimidating actions” by the management upon their unionisation.
“Solidarjetà will not tolerate retaliation against employees for exercising their legal right to union membership. Likewise, its calls for a collective agreement will not be ignored,” union secretary-treasurer Gabriel Apap said.
The industrial action will start at 7am on Saturday and the union members have also authorised the union to call a strike “if necessary”.
While directives are in place, union members will not accept unscheduled shifts without more than 24 hours’ notice unless they are offered and paid at the applicable overtime rate”.
They will refuse any duties that fall outside a worker’s designated role and will limit certain tasks.
The union said the directives will remain in force until Casa Paola management acknowledge Solidarjetà as the “officially recognised” sole union entitled to represent its members in collective bargaining, reinstates any workers who were dismissed or told that their contract will not be renewed, and “begins to act accordingly” towards the union and its members.
“These directives are designed to protect both workers and residents by ensuring safe workloads and respect for employees’ roles, while maintaining essential care services with dignity,” Apap said.