Staff at domestic violence charity ballot over strike action amid planned job cuts

East London workers who provide a ‘crucial’ support service to domestic abuse victims and survivors are balloting over strike action amid proposed job cuts.

Independent domestic violence advisers from the charity, Solace Women’s Aid in Tower Hamlets are at risk of losing their jobs due to potential redundancies which could see the service cut by a third, according to a union.

Those who are members of United Voices of the World Union (UVW) are being balloted to strike over the potential job losses from Solace, which they warn could jeopardise the ‘critical’ support service available to residents. The union has urged Tower Hamlets Council to intervene and safeguard the services from potential redundancies.

The Citizen approached Solace Women’s Aid but did not hear back by time of publication. A council spokesperson said it currently funds Solace, but has no plans to change the level of funding it provides. 

Isabel Cortes, Assistant General Secretary for UVW, said: “Tower Hamlets cannot turn its back on survivors of domestic abuse. Cutting this team by a third is not just a funding decision, it’s a death sentence for countless women and families who rely on these life-saving services. This is not simply about protecting jobs, it is about protecting justice and ensuring the most vulnerable members of our community are not abandoned.”

Ms Cortes added: “Domestic abuse is a national emergency and Tower Hamlets Council has a duty to act to safeguard those who are most at risk. To fail them now would be to fail our collective responsibility to protect and support those in their darkest moments. The Solace workers are a lifeline for survivors of domestic abuse. Their work saves lives.”

The service provides free emotional support to high-risk survivors of domestic violence, which includes advocating, referring and providing them with information.

Workers help to tackle systemic barriers faced by victims, such as navigating immigration restrictions, and financial and legal challenges. Tower Hamlets is the second-highest ranked borough for domestic abuse cases in London. Between April and December 2024, Solace workers managed 1,139 referrals and supported 227 victim-survivors.

An anonymous worker who is a UVW member said: “It’s important that people understand that we’re here and that domestic abuse, violence against women and girls is a national concern around the UK. It’s an emergency, a national emergency. I think people need to understand that this funding, wherever it comes from, is extremely important.”

They added: “I believe that the staff at Solace Women’s Aid do amazing work. We support so many people when they have nowhere to go and we do this every day. I think that there should be more conversations about the service and that we also sometimes need support. People need to know about us for us to get that support as well.”

A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: “We currently fund Solace to provide support to victims of domestic abuse in the borough and to be clear, there is no proposed change to the level of funding from the council.

“How Solace structures itself as an organisation is a matter for them, however we will continue to work with them to understand any proposed changes and to ensure that the support being provided to victims of domestic abuse, for which they receive funding, is not in anyway impacted.”