The walkout by social workers at Kirklees Council has been organised by Unison, which has urged all members of the union at the local authority to show their support for the dispute.
Unison said the industrial action is being taken due to poor pay and a doubling of workloads for social workers over the last five years. It said conditions have resulted in high levels of stress for staff, an increase in vacancies and a reliance on agency workers. It also cited bullying as an issue.
According to the union, social workers are quitting the council and then being rehired as agency workers for more than £10,000 a year more. It claims that 10 agency social workers were recently paid £498,000 for a six-month contract.
"Members have had enough. Enough of bullying, enough of stress, enough of vacancies, enough of poor pay, enough of agency staff and enough of austerity," said Paul Holmes, Kirklees Unison branch secretary.
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