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03.02.2025 / News / Solace

Solace Women’s Aid workers call indefinite strike to stop devastating job cuts

“Our main priority with this strike is to highlight the importance of our service and the impact on the community if the team is reduced.”

Solace worker and UVW member who wishes to remain anonymous

Workers at Solace Women’s Aid, a vital charity supporting domestic abuse victim-survivors, have announced an indefinite strike starting 14 February, in response to devastating job cuts that threaten life-saving services in Tower Hamlets. The decision was made by Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) who are members of United Voices of the World (UVW) union, after Tower Hamlets Council failed to act on their calls to intervene and safeguard these critical services.

Last week, Solace workers voted 100% in favour of strike action after management refused to scrap plans to cut their team by a third. The borough of Tower Hamlets has the second-highest rate of domestic abuse cases in London, and, with 70 % of victim-survivors being women, workers warn that these cuts will leave vulnerable women and children without the urgent support they need.

Karina Cuji, Solace, Multi-agency support team IDVA and UVW member, explained the devastating consequences of the cuts: “We want victims of domestic violence in Tower Hamlets to receive a high-quality service, but these cuts will not only prevent us from doing so but also leave many victims without any support.”

Another Solace worker, speaking anonymously, described the difficult but necessary decision to strike:“Our main priority with this strike is to highlight the importance of our service and the impact on the community if the team is reduced.”

The charity is contracted by Tower Hamlets Council to provide specialist support for domestic abuse survivors. Despite the value of this contract nearly doubling—from £783,452 in 2021-2024 to £1.4 million for 2024-2026—Solace claims the council has withdrawn expected funding, forcing them to cut staff.

UVW has called for immediate action from both the council and Solace management to protect these life-saving services.

Strikers are urging the public to stand in solidarity by donating to their strike fund and joining them outside Tower Hamlets Town Hall at 5:30 PM on Thursday, 6 February, for a rally to defend the domestic abuse service they provide.

The workers remain resolute in their fight to save their jobs and the essential support they provide. As the strike begins, they vow to continue until their demands are met, ensuring that no survivor is left without help.

Support the Solace workers by donating to their strike fund today.

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