‘Alarm’ after union meeting with bosses

A top trade union is taking legal advice after a meeting with senior management of Donaghcloney Care Home was described as ‘alarming’.
Donaghcloney Nursing Home whish is due to close. INLM48-245Donaghcloney Nursing Home whish is due to close. INLM48-245
Donaghcloney Nursing Home whish is due to close. INLM48-245

Senior official at GMB union Alan Perry accused management of merely ‘paying lip service’ to the consultation process which began after a decision to shut the care home.

Four Seasons announced last month that it is to close seven nursing homes across the province.

Mr Perry said the four hour meeting ‘came to nothing’.

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He said management had cited finanical reasons for closing the home and claimed the care facility was making a loss.

However, when he requested information on this allegation management refused to share the records.

“This raised alarms,” said Mr Perry. “They are merely paying lip service to the consultation process.

“We are looking at a failure to consult and seeking legal advice.

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This week management are having individual meetings with staff members at the home which is expected to close within months.

Mr Perry said that staff had been given the statutory 12 weeks notice which takes their employment to February 21. However, residents may be moving out of the home before that date.

The GMB union is having another meeting with management on Monday, December 21.

Four Seasons revealed, however, that two of the nursing homes earmarked for closure are to be sold to local firms.

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However, the nursing home at Donaghcloney has not had a reprieve.

Staff and relatives have started an online petition to save the home which says the closure will have a great impact on the elderly residents ‘maybe even killing them’.

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