Jan 26 - Government Clarifies Care Sector Fixed Term Contracts
The Government says that there are a small number of employees in the Care Agency working on fixed term contracts which are coming to an end and which will not be extended beyond expiry.
However, the Government says that no one is being dismissed which is what those who are “trying to falsely sensationalise the situation are attempting to insinuate”.
Number Six explains that it has always been the policy of successive Governments that jobs in the public sector be taken by people who are resident in Gibraltar. The Chief Minister restated the position of the present Government in this respect in his recent New Year message.
The long-standing policy - agreed with Unite the Union - is that foreign workers are employed on fixed term contracts while there are no locals available and while locals are trained for the job. The policy is specifically referred to in the Agenda for Change agreement signed between the Union and the GHA in 2009. Agenda for Change has been specifically extended to Elderly Residential Services.
The Government says it would be a “waste of taxpayers’ money” for government to invest in training courses only for job opportunities for those in training not to be available at the end of it.
Because management are aware of the termination dates of those on fixed term contracts, manpower planning for these posts are organised so that people are seamlessly replaced without disruption to the service or service users.
The Government says that there are very few fixed term contracts that are coming to an end in a service that employs a workforce of approximately 600 people the total number of fixed term contracts in question amounts to approximately 18 over the next 24 months.
