DRUG and alcohol support workers have announced the end of a long-running trade dispute with their employer more than fifteen months after they first took strike action.

The strike involved 30 rehab workers and UNISON members who had been transferred from the National Health Service to drug, alcohol and mental health charity We Are With You.

The union says that workers maintained throughout the dispute that their employer had promised that their pay would keep pace with NHS Agenda for Change pay rates but that the charity failed to keep their promise once NHS staff received a substantial pay rise in 2018.

The key workers entered into dispute with their employer well over a year ago to secure NHS pay rates and they have taken a mammoth twenty-six days of strike action since August 2019, including a ten-day strike which ended in October of this year.

The striking workers received ongoing political support from some Lbour MPs and former Leigh representative Jo Platt.

UNISON says that during the dispute, We Are With You denied promising its employees that it would pay NHS rates and refused to budge during negotiations.

It adds the charity’s position "softened in recent months" and the drug and alcohol workers have formally ended their dispute as they received new settlement, which was agreed this week.

The Wigan and Leigh support workers have secured a no detriment payment that matches the NHS Agenda for Change three year pay deal which runs from April 2018 to April 2021, meaning that the key workers will each receive several thousand pounds worth of back pay. In addition, they have negotiated a further year of protection which will ensure that the rehab workers will not be paid below the current NHS rates until April 2022.

In a further boost for the drug and alcohol workers, they have also won a battle to force their employer We Are With You to recognise UNISON as their trade union. The rehab workers began their campaign to be represented collectively through UNISON in 2019.

The Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) recently declared UNISON to be the recognised union for We Are With You workers in Wigan and Leigh. This decision means that We Are With You will be forced to negotiate with the support workers collectively through their union UNISON from now on, including during any future pay reviews.

UNISON North West regional organiser Paddy Cleary said: “The determination of this group of key workers must be commended- they continued their struggle when many would have faltered. They knew that they were right and that We Are With You was firmly in the wrong- they have been proven correct.

“This dispute is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when workers stand up together. And beyond pay, the legacy of this struggle is that this group of workers have found their voice and now have the right to negotiate collectively with their employer. This will benefit staff and service users alike, as front-line workers are the real experts and make the best decisions for the service.

“These inspirational workers have continued to provide a vital lifeline to members of the local community throughout the pandemic- it’s only right that they should receive the pay they are rightfully owed just before Christmas. Now they can once again focus entirely on their life-saving work.”

A spokesperson for We Are With You, said: “We have listened to the concerns of our staff in Wigan and worked together with UNISON to come to an agreement that all parties are happy with.

“We would like to thank our staff in Wigan for their continued hard work and dedication and are delighted we can move forward together to continue to provide the best possible support to people affected by drug and alcohol use in the area.

“Our service in Wigan remains open during the lockdown restrictions. If you are worried about your own, or someone else's drug or alcohol use please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”