Renfrewshire care workers are set for a "big" rise after a deal was struck to settle a pay dispute.
The council home care staff are also set to receive "thousands" in back payments after claiming their work had been undervalued for years.
They have been taking industrial action in support of fair pay, and have voted to accept an offer to increase their grade by two with the rise backdated to 2020.
The deal now means an hourly rise of £1.77 and full-time care workers with four years’ service could receive more than £14,000 in back pay and an annual rise of £2900.
READ NEXT: Renfrewshire care staff claim council offer 'undervalues' their work
GMB Scotland fought for the deal and said other councils across Scotland being challenged on job reviews must now follow Renfrewshire in fairly recognising the changing role and responsibilities of care workers, mostly women, who have been undervalued and underpaid.
Kirsten Muat, GMB Scotland organiser in Renfrewshire Council, welcomed the council’s decision and hailed the workers’ determination to win fair pay.
She said: “Only our members’ action brought the council to the table and only their unity secured this offer.
“They know their job better than anyone, know what their work is worth and refused to accept anything less.
“Our members work in care providing crucial frontline support to some of the most vulnerable people in communities across Renfrewshire.
“That role has changed dramatically in recent years and that has been now recognised with fair pay.”
The carers voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action after warning a long-awaited council review of their pay grade failed to properly recognise how their job has changed and now involves many more duties and responsibilities.
It was the first review of carers for 16 years but frontline staff say they are providing far more personal care and supporting more people with complex needs than ever before.
Gwenda Helie, who has been a carer in Renfrewshire for seven years, said the striking staff had been overwhelmed by support.
She said: “Taking strike action didn’t come easy for a lot of us but so many of our clients were fully behind us and thought we deserved to be paid fairly.
“We had been undervalued and underpaid for far too long.”
A spokesperson from Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We are pleased that GMB members have accepted our offer and we continue to work with all other relevant trade unions to resolve this dispute.”
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