Local Government Service Group Conference 19-20 June 2011

A fair deal for tenants and housing workers

Julie Neale

20 June: In the last debate of this year's Local Government Conference, delegates pledged support to members working across the housing sector in the face of redundancies, job insecurity, increasing workplace stress, threats of privatisation and attacks on pay and conditions.

This includes threats to sheltered housing officers and in the last speech of the day, Aberdeenshire's Julie Neale, first time delegate, first time speaker, told delegates that in her authority, full time officers are having their hours cut but are expected to cover more sheltered housing projects and be contacted by mobile phone in case of an emergency.

"It is not only members who will suffer by cutting hours. What about older people in our communities who live in sheltered housing who are not ready or don't need to move into a nursing home and enjoy their independence?" she asked. "They need to know there is a warden to hand to give them peace of mind."

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