In September 2023, workers at three Silverline Care Homes in Glasgow (Cardonald, Stobhill, and Baillieston) staged the first-ever strike in a private care home in Scotland, organised through the GMB union. The action involved over 100 care workers, affecting 150 residents, following a takeover of the homes by Silverline from the previous operator, Four Seasons. Workers voted to strike in response to attacks on pay and conditions by the new company, including the withdrawal of a previous pay offer, reductions to overtime rates, and base pay failing to keep pace with the cost of living. ​​Tamara Beattie was one of the lead organisers of the campaign.

The Work

I worked as a care assistant for nine years. I worked in a 60-bed home that had frail and elderly residents, people living with dementia, and a young persons unit. Day to day, I helped with washing, dressing, meals and fluids, and kept people moving safely with stand aids and hoists. I kept on top of skin care and pressure relief, did regular checks and turning, and wrote clear notes and handovers so the nurse and team had the full picture. I’m good at spotting small changes in residents early and escalating them. I’m comfortable supporting families, end-of-life care, and the trickier moments that can come with dementia. I now do agency work, so I’m used to walking into new services, picking up different care plans and meeting new people. I’m also a union rep, so I’m confident raising concerns, supporting colleagues, and keeping things fair and safe at work.

I first found my feet caring for my nana. I then studied nursing because my sisters are nurses. I’m the kind of person who likes to help and keep people as independent as they can be day to day, so I took a job in a care home where I could do that consistently. I came to trade unionism through my family. My dad was a postal worker and a union rep, so the principles of solidarity were there from the start. When a rep role opened in my care home I put myself forward, as I already understood how unions work and felt I could organise in care.

Care assistant work is rewarding because you’re helping people, but it’s tough. Shifts run from handover to handover, with constant time pressure, especially when staffing is short. You’re juggling personal care, safe moving and handling, meals and fluids, skin and pressure care, observations, and notes all at once. The physical side is demanding. You’re managing infection risks, dementia-related distress or behaviours, and end-of-life care, which can be emotionally heavy. Documentation has to be exact - eMAR (electronic Medicines Administration Records) and care notes while families and professionals still need clear updates. Low pay, little or no sick pay, and long 12-hour shifts strain morale, and full-time roles rarely offer flexibility for parents. Training and equipment can be inconsistent between services, and when management support or funding is thin you can’t always deliver person-centred care to the standard you want - even though that’s why you’re there!

The Strike

The strike at Silverline happened because the management was attacking terms and conditions. Sick pay and holiday pay were being cut in real terms and base pay was not keeping up with the cost of living. They even tried to push for derecognition of the union while the strike was under way as an intimidation tactic, but it didn’t succeed because staff held firm.

To build momentum, we started by fixing the everyday problems that were grinding people down. We took up rota gaps and unsafe staffing, short-notice shift changes, confusion over holiday approvals, unpaid or missed breaks, payroll errors, poor equipment and training, and managers not listening when risks were raised. Winning on these smaller issues showed people the branch would act and that collective pressure worked.

The idea to strike grew out of regular reps and members meetings where the same themes came up again and again, alongside a surge in anger when cuts to sick and holiday pay were confirmed. We used grievances, collective letters and meetings first, and when those routes were exhausted the membership backed a ballot. Once we had the mandate, we set strike dates and kept essential cover in place so residents were safe. My own background helped. I had worked in the sector for years, so I understood the shifts, the paperwork, the pressure points, and the reality on the floor. That made it easier to earn trust, have honest conversations, and organise confidently across the homes.

Effective organising starts with relationships. You earn trust first, then you talk about ballots and escalation. I focused on being visible and accessible so people knew who I was. Since we were not allowed into the workplace, I put out clear, regular updates through videos, social media, and our website, speaking plainly about the pressures staff were facing. When it came to phone banking, that familiarity paid off. People picked up the phone as they already knew me, and they were more open to a real conversation about what we could do together. A lot of workers were anxious about residents and about management pushing back. To boost confidence, I produced a short video featuring workers from the whisky industry and other sectors discussing their strikes, what they achieved, and why they supported our fight. The broader support we received kept momentum up and helped people see their rights and their power.

For workers, striking in care carries real weight, because residents are vulnerable and staff care deeply about them. On day one the picket line started quietly. Then, once texts went out, more and more people came down and you could see confidence grow as colleagues stood together. The atmosphere became upbeat and communal. Local people stopped by to show support, someone from the neighbourhood brought a barbecue, TV cameras arrived, and by the second day even more staff wanted to be there. Running picket lines across three sites helped everyone see they were part of a wider effort, which consolidated relationships across the workforce.

We did face pressure. Management sent messages saying the action put residents at risk, they tried to encourage families to submit statements against the strike, and moved to derecognise the union while the strike was under way. They brought in agency staff, which we believed breached the rules. Seeing that only strengthened our resolve, because it treated skilled care as if anyone could do it. Our response was to plan essential cover so residents were safe, keep communication open and honest, use videos and social media so workers recognised us by name and face, share solidarity messages from other sectors to build confidence, and record and challenge any intimidation through the proper channels. The result was a stronger, more connected workforce.

The strike delivered on the main aims. We protected key terms and conditions and won movement on the issues that pushed people to act, so members returned to work energised and more engaged. Many contacted the branch wanting to stay active and help organise. After the strike there was some uncertainty about next steps because management had been resistant to negotiating, at one point escorting an officer off site, and the corporate structure made it hard to know who to address. Despite those hurdles, the result was strong, confidence grew, and the workforce’s connection to the union deepened.

The Lessons

For me, the starting point of organising is relationships. You earn the right to talk about ballots by showing up, listening, and solving everyday problems first. That groundwork turned hesitation into confidence and made the phone calls and the picket lines real. Visibility matters. People recognised me from meetings and short videos, they picked up the phone, they trusted the message, and they felt part of something bigger across the homes.

Resident safety has to be front and centre from day one. We planned essential cover, agreed clear lines for escalation, and explained this again and again. When people saw that residents were protected, the fear faded and support grew. Pressure from management is part of the terrain. The lesson is to keep calm, record everything, know your rights on consultation and recognition, and answer misinformation with facts and consistency. Solidarity from other workers helps turn nerves into pride, so ask for it, and share it publicly.

You need a communication plan before, during, and after the action. Map who actually makes decisions inside the company, because complex ownership can slow talks down. Keep updates short and regular so people never wonder what is happening. Celebrate each step, feedback wins quickly, and invite people to stay involved so momentum carries over into the workplace.

In care we are used to giving everything and then some. Organising is a marathon, not a sprint. For other care workers, the lesson is simple. You know the work and the pressures better than anyone. If you build trust, keep residents safe, communicate clearly, and stand together, you can win!

The Future of Care Work

Care needs stable public funding and national standards for pay and conditions, so providers cannot undercut each other at the expense of staff and residents. Pay should reflect the skill and responsibility of the role, with full sick pay from day one, proper maternity and paternity leave, pensions that are worthwhile, and predictable rosters that allow for family life. Staffing must be set by need and acuity rather than occupancy or budgets. That means safe ratios, protected time for handovers, care planning and supervision, and paid training that leads to real progression into senior roles and specialist areas.

Commissioning should prioritise quality and continuity. We need an end to fifteen minute visits, and to pay travel time and mileage in home care so it’s not rushed. We need to ensure equipment, digital records, and training are consistent and usable across services. To focus inspections on outcomes and dignity rather than paperwork alone. We need to protect whistleblowers, recognise unions, and provide facility time for reps so issues are fixed before they become risks. Families should be partners in care, and services need better links with GPs, community nursing, and mental health teams so residents are not bounced between systems. Finally, we need to see transparency brought to provider finances, so money goes to frontline care and not excessive profit taking. If we get these basics right, the job becomes sustainable. Staff will stay and progress, so people can receive the safe, person centred care they deserve.

In terms of how we build a stronger workers movement in the care sector, you need to start with relationships. Map care homes, hold one to one conversations, and identify trusted leads. Win small fixes quickly and report them back to build confidence. Grow a rep network with short training and regular check ins, and coordinate across sites under the same provider. Use simple structure tests to measure readiness before any ballot. Keep residents at the centre with an essential cover plan and a clear message for families. Communicate often with short videos and texts and track evidence on staffing and safety. Bring in allies, work across the union rather than in silos by setting up joint reps councils, agreeing a shared platform, aligning calendars, sharing data and media. Present a united front to commissioners and providers. After any action, debrief fast, publish the wins and next steps, and invite every volunteer into a role.