FEARS are growing over the prospect of a care company cutting staff wages, pensions and holiday pay.

Trade union Unison says private firm Catalyst Choices – which has been providing care services for Warrington since 2015 – is planning to reduce the pay of former council workers outsourced to the company.

With its five-year contract up for renewal, Unison fears Catalyst plans to ‘drive down’ costs by targeting low-paid staff and cutting pay, pensions and holiday entitlements as it ‘bids for a new council deal’.

Unison also claims Catalyst has refused to negotiate with the trade union about its proposals and will only deal with individual workers, creating a ‘David and Goliath situation’.

Unison north west schools organiser Keith Bradley said: “Catalyst is refusing to talk about its plan.

“This lack of engagement is bad for workers. It suggests Catalyst wants to cut out the union so it can hack away at employees’ pay, holidays, pensions, and sick pay.

“If the council allows Catalyst to drive through its plans, vulnerable people, under-pressure workers and the reputation of the council are all at risk.

“Councillors must step in and end this unpleasant corporate bullying.”

Council chief executive Steven Broomhead has issued a statement on the matter.

He said: “Catalyst has since 2015 been independent of the council and, like any other organisation or business, can undertake consultation and discussion with its staff on its own terms.

“The council, through all of its contracting arrangements, seeks to ensure suppliers deliver of the best possible outcomes, services and employment terms for all staff within the available budgets.

“We have requested that Catalyst carefully consider the issues to ensure good and harmonious relationships with its workforce.”

Catalyst said it did not wish to comment while it is ‘undertaking a formal process’.