Scottish social care charity Cornerstone has stopped negotiating with Unison, saying that the relationship with the union has broken down and it will now talk directly to staff.
The two parties were in the middle of negotiating a new pay deal for staff.
Cornerstone recently offered the deal to its workers after it introduced an initiative that will see some carers taking on management responsibilities.
But earlier this month Unison balloted its members employed by the charity, based in Aberdeen, and reported that some 92 per cent had voted to reject the offer.
The charity subsequently dismissed this vote as unrepresentative of its workforce, estimating that only 3 per cent of its 2,000-strong workforce took part.
Cornerstone and Unison were due to meet today to continue negotiations but yesterday the charity announced that it had withdrawn from its 24-year voluntary recognition agreement with the union.
Edel Harris, chief executive of Cornerstone, said the decision to withdraw would have “no effect on how any of our colleagues will be treated” and that the charity would now instead discuss pay deals with workers through its “engagement forum”.
Harris said the charity’s relationship with the union had “broken down to such an extent that it is having an adverse impact on colleagues and diverting senior management resource away from delivering on our strategy”.
He said: “Despite our genuine attempts, in the last two years, to get back onto a more constructive footing, Unison has refused to change its approach and we have no alternative but to withdraw from our voluntary recognition agreement.
“Misleading and hostile statements from Unison, have caused alarm among our employees and, more importantly, raised unnecessary concern among the parents and guardians of those for whom we care, which is unforgivable.”
‘Saddened to hear charity’s decision’
Cornerstone said its board informed Unison yesterday of its decision, but the union said it only learned of the news at the same time as the media.
Deborah Clarke, head of community at Unison, said yesterday: “We were saddened to hear Cornerstone feels it needs to take this action. We are due to meet at ACAS tomorrow to continue talks over pay. I presume this will not now happen.
"Unison do not recognise the picture painted by Cornerstone. Our members are the very people who care for Cornerstone's service users, they care deeply about the people they look after, and the overall service that Cornerstone deliver.”
She said the union has the option of applying for statutory recognition “because we have considerable number of members who work there”.
“However, we hope to discuss this issue further with Cornerstone managers and we will also discuss this decision with our members in Cornerstone before we decide what to do next,” she added.
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