WIN! Union secures wages for support workers who worked unpaid for three months

Support workers who looked after vulnerable families for three months despite not getting paid will finally get their wages following a GMB campaign.

Staff at Lime Trees Children’s Centre, in Birmingham, last received a full pay packet in November – but carried on their compassionate work despite having no money for their own child care, travel or even food.

They faced Christmas with no cash after the charity which runs the centre Freshwinds – who received more than £1million in donations and grants in the financial year 2014/15 including around £850,000 from cash-strapped Birmingham City Council – said they didn’t have the money.

Now, after a GMB Campaign, Action for Children has agreed to take over the centre – and BCC has pledged to stump up the support workers’ back-dated pay.

GMB organiser Gillian Ogilive said: “This is incredible news for these support workers – whose sense of duty was so strong they carried on working knowing full well they wouldn’t be paid. They had no money for travelling to work, for child care – even to feed their own families.

“Now they can look forward to receiving their long overdue wages – and hopefully a secure future. GMB is very proud to have helped these support workers in their hour of need.”