Bosses enjoying salary hikes while staff suffer cutbacks

BASW Cymru has criticised major pay rises given to senior managers in Wales at a time of austerity cutbacks and social workers suffering salary freezes.

Bosses in Caerphilly have been awarded a massive 30% increase while those in Gwynedd are benefiting from a pay hike of up to 7%.

Meanwhile, social workers and other public sector workers have had salaries frozen and terms and conditions eroded in recent years. In some Welsh authorities, social workers have also lost essential car user allowances and are even expected to use their own vehicles when making visits.

Robin Moulster, BASW Cymru Country Manager, said: “The rises given to senior officers and managers are indicative of a culture where social workers, alongside other public sector workers, are expected to make cuts and sacrifices whilst bosses carry on regardless of how this is viewed.

“One local authority social work team I met recently described how they are being moved from their current base and are expected to pay for parking at their new base while health colleagues – who are sharing the same building – will have theirs reimbursed.

“Those not opting to pay for parking will be expected to park a considerable distance away and to use their flexi-time to cover time lost walking to and from their vehicles.”

Mr Moulster said attempts to organise a meeting with Caerphilly’s Head of Workforce & Organisational Development Gareth Hardacre to discuss concerns raised by social workers in the authority had been ignored.

He added: “It appears to be a case of ‘do as I say, not do as I do’ for social workers. No wonder morale and confidence in senior officers and managers is waning further. BASW Cymru will continue to highlight these inequalities across Wales.”