Unite calls on Scottish care workers to back petition
People working in the sector have been urged to sign the petition in support of the campaign today - visit allheartsunite.org
Throughout the summer of 2022, Unite has been out speaking directly with Scotland’s care and support workers. We have been inviting those working in the third and private sectors to complete a survey and share their views on terms and conditions of employment and the impact of the cost of living crisis. With nearly 500 survey responses from workers employed by over 70 different major employers we can evidence real, substantial and serious structural problems.
Some of the most alarming findings are as follows:
- Care and support workers feel they are systematically and structurally undervalued.
- 52% of care and support workers stated that they run out of money before their next pay day
- 45% of care and support workers say they use an overdraft or credit card for essentials
- 20% of care and support workers say they avoid using gas & electricity at home
- 9% of care and support workers say they skip meals to keep costs down
- Only 1 in 5 of the care and support workers we surveyed said they “Always have enough time” with the people they prove care and/or support for
- Many care and support workers are regularly incurring expenses as a result of carrying out their duties and are not being properly reimbursed.
- Care and support workers continue to pay to register with the SSSC just to gain or retain their employment.
- There is considerable variation in pay, terms and conditions across the voluntary/not-for-profit and private sectors, with a strong tendency for employers to lean toward statutory minimums or Scottish Government mandated minimum pay rates.
- Workers continually do their very best for those they provide care and support to, including taking on, sometimes quite complex, additional responsibilities and working extra or long hours for no additional or enhanced pay.
To address these concerns Unite is launching a nationwide public petition to highlight the challenges care and support workers face. We will campaign on these issues which immediately need addressing to stop the haemorrhage of workers in this sector. These will be raised both with the public but also with the nation’s political decision makers at Holyrood. The petition is calling for the following:
1.Scrap the requirement for all care and support workers to pay for SSSC registration and renewal
2.Immediately standardise the mileage rate for all care and support workers using their own cars to the same level as visiting NHS staff when using their own car
3.Provide parking permits to all care and support workers who would otherwise pay for parking whilst providing visiting care and/or support
4.Immediately raise the minimum hourly rate of pay in the sector – Unite is campaigning for £15 per hour
5.Ensure that basic employment rights under the working time regulations are adhered to including the right to take appropriate uninterrupted breaks
Unites wider campaign on the proposals for a National Care Service include campaigning for a publicly run and free at the point of use care service, involving Local Authorities and Trade Unions and with national sectoral level collective bargaining to cover the pay, terms and conditions of all workers employed within adult social care services.
Paul Rolwich, union organiser, says the Scottish Government’s plans for a National Care Service for Scotland present an opportunity.
He said: “In the medium-term, this could make real, meaningful and long-overdue improvements to pay, and terms and conditions, for care workers in Scotland, particularly in the third and private sectors of care.
“However, the heroes of the pandemic also need real change to the way skilled care and support work is valued in Scotland now.”
“The Scottish Government could set the tone of any future National Care Service now by adopting our five point plan to address the impact of the cost of living crisis on Scotland’s dedicated care and support staff.”
The union will be presenting its solution, which it will put to the Scottish Government and it is asking all workers in the sector to be a part of that.
Paul added: “Now is the time to get involved. Now is the time to stand up and help shape the future of care and support for yourself, your colleagues, for service users and for residents. If you work in care, sign the petition and ask your colleagues to do likewise. If you don’t work in care, please sign the petition and show your support for those workers who were there every day during the pandemic looking after our most vulnerable citizens.”
“Be part of the change your sector so badly needs. Get involved today.”
Back the campaign, sign the petition today: http://allheartsunite.org/