Heroic Care UK strikers yesterday said they have no reason to celebrate after being offered measly 2 per cent pay rises when their wages have been slashed by 35 per cent.

Union negotiators who met Care UK bosses last week came back with a proposal for a 2 per cent increase backdated to October, 2 per cent next October — or more if inflation is higher — and 2 per cent the year after.

The deal also includes a one-off payment of £500.

One weekend newspaper described the strikers as “celebrating” the deal.

However striker and shop steward Roger Hutt told the Star: “We have all seen the headline stating we are all congratulating ourselves with our pay award.

“I don’t know where the quote came from but I can assure you none of the Care UK strikers are celebrating.

“Losing 35 per cent of your wage and being offered 2 per cent over three years is not what we set out to achieve.

“The fight for us all will continue.”

Unison is balloting the strikers on the proposal. Voting ends on December 1.

Care UK took over 150 jobs when it undercut the NHS to provide support for people with learning difficulties on contract to Doncaster Council.

After the takeover in September last year Care UK slashed wages, holidays and overtime payments.

Only 70 of the original 150 NHS workers remain at Care UK.

Mr Hutt said many quit because they could not survive on the new wages. One woman worker lost her home and had to leave the district to move in with relatives in Newcastle.

Others have found other jobs with the NHS.

Most of the workers are women.

Mr Hutt described how one woman had been in tears the day she had to leave the job she loved because of the pay cuts.

The workers have taken 90 days of strike action, the longest in the history of the social care sector in Britain.

Action has included lobbying Parliament, and demonstrating outside the London headquarters of Care UK owners private equity firm Bridgepoint.