A KILBIRNIE care home has come under fire from one of the area’s MSPs after its trade union agreement was ripped up by its owners.

A move by care provider Active Care Group to derecognise the staff’s trade union GMB at Moorpark Place were branded “disgraceful” by West Scotland MSP Katy Clark.

GMB wrote to the Scottish Labour politician after Active Care Group announced it was tearing up the collective agreement in place from next month, with Active Care Group stating that the old agreement “relates to a different legal entity”.

Moorpark, which employs around 120 people, was previously owned by Huntercombe Group, a branch of the wider Active Care Group, but has been transferred to the parent firm.

Katy, who represents West Scotland, said: “This move to derecognise staff’s recognised union at work is disgraceful.

“It will leave the workforce without a collective voice in what is already an underpaid and precarious sector.

“These care staff work their fingers to the bone so residents can be supported with dignity, but now face having their rights stripped away by a shadowy private company with tax haven links.”

Ms Clark has also used a parliamentary motion to call on the Scottish Government to legislate to prevent firms which don’t recognise trade unions from receiving contracts as part of the new National Care Service.

She added: “We currently have a care sector where profit is put before people. That must change when legislation for the new National Care Service comes forward.

“If providers refused to recognise trade unions or fail to be transparent about where they are paying taxes, they should frankly be nowhere near our care sector.”

A spokesperson for Active Care Group said: “Moorpark Place was part of Four Seasons Healthcare when the Union Recognition Agreement with the GMB was agreed in 2013. In 2021, Moorpark Place was sold to a new company and transferred into a new legal entity. It merged with Active Care Group (ACG) in December 2021.

“The agreement therefore relates to a different legal entity still in existence and not the group that Moorpark Place is now part of. Notice was given according to the terms of the agreement that recognition would cease on 30 June 2022.

“We will, however, continue to engage with the unions where appropriate and colleagues will still be able to be represented in processes, but without a formal agreement in place.

“We have adopted a ‘Just Culture’, promoting the importance of trust, listening and accountability across the entire ACG business. We value and recognise all our services across the ACG group.”