Social workers will strike for the first time in Brighton over a pay dispute.

Adult social workers have called for pay parity with other social workers who work with children and families. They will be striking on November 7.

Trade union Unison is calling on the government to fund proper pay rises and for the council to address the pay inequalities.

One adult social worker, who did not wish to be named, said: “We have had real terms pay cuts continuously for many years, working full time now gives the same real terms pay as working a four-day week a few years ago.

“Adult social care has a high turnover of staff and the majority of new staff each year are newly qualified because the salary fails to attract or keep the experienced staff needed. This all undermines the service we try to deliver.”

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Another added: “Strike action is not something I do lightly. Working with vulnerable and elderly people who have recently been discharged from hospital is a role I take very seriously.

“However, the ethos I apply to ensuring those vulnerable residents are treated equally and supported with the services they need; is the same ethos I seek to apply to myself and my colleagues.”

Unison is calling for a “market supplement” of 12 per cent which is currently applied to child social workers to also be given to adult social workers.

The union cited the high cost of living in Brighton paired with similar salaries to elsewhere in the country as a reason why talented social workers were choosing not to work in the city.

Corinna Edwards-Colledge, Unison Brighton and Hove joint branch secretary, said: “Central government needs to act now to restore funding to local authorities like Brighton and Hove, and fund proper pay rises for essential professionals like Social Workers and Care Workers, who have experienced some of the lowest pay growth of any professions, yet demonstrate unwavering dedication to the most vulnerable people in our society.

“Brighton & Hove City Council needs to address the significant issue of equality between the pay of workers in adults social care with their friends and colleagues in families, children and learning. Otherwise, talent and experience will continue to drain away, overtime and agency spend will continue to rise, and the risk to services will increase.”

Cllr Tristram Burden chair of the council's Adult Social Care & Public Health Sub-Committee, said: “Our social workers carry out challenging work day in, day out , and we value each and every one of them. 

“We know the cost-of-living crisis is biting, and we help wherever we can.

“But as we have made clear in our negotiations, this unfortunately cannot include awarding social workers in our adult social care service a 12.5% market supplement.

“I will always support the right the strike, but I'm also saddened employees feel the need to take this action.

“We are keeping negotiations open with our Unison colleagues to try to find a solution to the current dispute.”