HOME care staff are spending almost 10 per cent of their monthly salaries trying to keep warm and dry at work.

Some staff who work for Glasgow city council arm's length firm Cordia say they spend more than £100 each month buying cups of coffee and hot drinks while on duty.

They say the only reason they spend the money is to have a warm, dry place to spend their unpaid breaks, which can be up to an hour and a half in some cases.

Other staff who don't go to cafes are left wandering the streets, standing in bus stops and closes to keep out of the elements.

Staff have previously said they often feel unsafe in the evenings or during winter when it is dark, while others complained of having to spend their salaries just to keep out of the cold.

One staff member said: " I spend easily £100 a month on coffees and teas to try and keep out of the rain or to sit down at break time, so do my colleagues.

"It's absolute hell, really. In winter time it's unbearable as you're freezing cold.

"I've worked across three areas and we've never been told we can use any of the offices either, we're told to get out if we go in. I want to be treated with a bit of respect."

Cordia chief Andy Clark previously told the Evening Times home carers were able to use the seven bases across the city - in Drumchapel, Whiteinch, Petershill, Templeton at Glasgow Green, Baillieston, Portman Street at Paisley Road Toll and in Castlemilk.

However home care employees have since said this is inaccurate, and they have never been allowed access to the some of the hubs at Portman Street, Templeton and Baillieston.

Senior staff sources have also admitted they are told not to let home carers use the facilities even if they do turn up.

One source said: "We're not allowed to let them in.

"Managers have told us under no circumstances are home carers allowed to sit in our base. There is a conflict going on."

It comes after trade union Unison carried out a survey and found 95 per cent of the 87 staff members asked did not have access to a clean toilet during their breaks, while 97 per cent lacked access to drinking water, shelter from the cold and rain or facilities to prepare food.

Union bosses have called for Cordia management to work with them to find a solution.

Despite repeated attempts by the Evening Times to clarify whether staff could use the bases previously mentioned by Cordia, their spokesman would not comment.

Andy Clark also declined to speak directly with this newspaper.

A spokesman said: "We always take the welfare of all our staff seriously".