Home-care workers 'exploited' claims trade union chief

Published on Sunday 13 June 2010 22:14

PRIVATE home-care workers are being "exploited", and effectively paid below the minimum wage with little or no training.

Trade union Unison has warned that elderly people are being left without the care and support they need because of poor treatment of staff.

It claims firms routinely employ staff on zero hours contracts, with huge swings in paid hours and refuse to pay for travel time between visits, so many home-carers are effectively paid below the minimum wage.

Workers are not offered basic training, including how to administer medicines, while many employees have to pay for their own transport, mobile phones and uniforms, it is alleged.

Unison, which is holding its national conference this week in Bournemouth, called for better training and working conditions for home-care workers.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "It is a scandal that private home-care companies are boosting profits for themselves, but short-changing elderly people and staff.

"They are cutting corners by scrimping and saving on what they pay staff. This has a huge knock-on effect on elderly people relying on care.

"Many Unison members tell us they miss out on basic training, including how to give medicines or deal with people with dementia, which is a routine part of the job.

"Most care workers are on the minimum wage as it is. It's a disgrace that private companies, who can get paid more than 15 from local authorities for an hour of care, exploit staff on low wages by refusing to pay for travel time. Over a day, this can lead to some slipping below the national minimum wage.

"Improving pay rates, providing more training, and allowing staff enough time to visit people and travel between appointments, would instantly boost standards of care, giving people the dignity they deserve."