'Betrayed' care home workers.

Byline: Paul Dale

ALMOST 200 Birmingham care home workers facing redundancy feel let down and betrayed by the city council, union leaders said.

Unison attacked plans to axe the jobs of up to 180 men and women employed in old people's homes, claiming the decision made a mockery of a council pledge to protect the long term interests of its staff.

In what is believed will be the first compulsory redundancies at the council for more than 50 years, the cabinet agreed yesterday to a pounds 2.8 million compensation package for the threatened staff - the average redundancy payment will be pounds 8,000. The decision reflects a determination to press ahead with a shift toward more social services provision by the independent and voluntary sectors.

All 29 council-run old people's homes are in the process of being closed.

In a statement, the council's Unison branch said workers facing the sack were predominantly low paid women, a majority of whom were black. It added the likelihood of redundancies broke the terms of the council's employee bargain introduced last year.

The council said that more than 200 people employed in the adults and communities directorate, whose jobs are in line to disappear, had already been found alternative roles..