The trade union GBM—who represent staff at the Court Care Nursing Home—have confirmed this afternoon, staff have received part of the payment owed to them.
This followed news staff were not paid on Tuesday as expected after the recent announcement that the RQIA has ordered the care home to close.
A representative for the trade union has said: “(GMB) can confirm from this afternoon staff in the Court Care Home have received 60% of their pay.
“Discussions will continue to secure the remaining amount of what they are legally owed. The fight continues.”
UNISON Regional Organiser Louise O’Hara has condemned the treatment of staff at the Court Care Home in Ballymoney who have been dealt another devastating blow after not receiving their full wages for September.
“The Court Care Home is due to close on 16th October following a notice issued by RQIA.
“These staff are now without 40% of their wages for work done and without a job once the home closes.
“The Model Group (NI) Ltd has been responsible for managing provision of services and administering the wages but claimed to be unable to pay staff due to a reduction in money from the Northern Trust. UNISON will make an intervention and clarify this statement.
“Court Care (Ireland) Ltd is claiming to have no responsibility for the staff. This denial is completely at odds with official and legal TUPE arrangements for staff when this company acquired the home.”
UNISONs Head of Bargaining has issued correspondence and made direct intervention to urge the Northern Trust to offer employment to these hardworking staff.
“The staff and residents should not be the victims of the failure of the Court Care Homes aspirations to be licenced by the RQIA, an application which has been refused. It is now public knowledge that the RQIA has great misgivings about the basis in which this company intended to offer care provision.
“UNISON calls on the Department of Health and RQIA to put regulations in place to prevent investment schemes i.e the sale of individual rooms to individual clients being used by Care Home providers in Northern Ireland. The most vulnerable in our society must be protected from those who see them simply as an opportunity to make money.”
