Pay all care workers living wage, says UNISON

UNISON is calling on all employers to pay the living wage to care workers and all councils to adopt UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter in its Social care manifesto for Scotland to improve working conditions for some of the worst paid public workers in Scotland.

UNISON manifesto Social Care in Scotland is launched today (Monday 2 May) (See on website)

Improving the quality of care means seriously addressing workforce issues, the most important of which is pay. Despite the introduction of the Chancellor’s new UK ‘Living’ Wage which sets an hourly rate of £7.20 for workers aged 25 and over, many employers do not pay for time to travel between visits or make other cuts to terms and conditions. UNISON believes that all providers should be required to pay the Scottish Living Wage (currently £8.25 in Scotland) through the procurement process.

May Scotland in UNISON now online

Election special, Health conference reports, Glasgow strikers and reports from UNISON at the STUC on TTIP, local government, pay, union rights, poverty, environment, child care, BME workers, ethical care charter, flexible working, pay and much more. Take your copy into your workplace and share it or see it online at at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/index.html and on issuu at http://issuu.com/unisonscotland along with back issues.

Civil society groups demand ethical public procurement

UNISON Scotland is involved in launching the new #10Asks on procurement today. Here's the press release:

Civil society groups demand ethical public procurement

New public procurement rules in Scotland should help tackle tax dodging, blacklisting and climate change, according to a coalition of civil society coalitions.

International development charities, environmental groups, voluntary organisations and trade unions joined together today (Thursday) to demand that Scotland’s annual procurement spend of around £10 billion should promote key sustainable and ethical policy objectives.

Sign up to Ethical Care and give home carers a living wage not poverty pay

#uLGC14 Renfrewshire’s Brenda Aitchison brought a Scottish dimension to the Ethical Care debate as conference backed a wide ranging strategy to keep up the pressure to improve the working conditions of our members in the care sector and the quality of care to our most vulnerable citizens.

Brenda told delegates that Renfrewshire was the first Scottish Branch to sign up to UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter, after home care members in home care met the Labour leader of their council and gave him a “no holds barred” account of the invaluable work they do.

Renfrewshire Council leader makes commitment to UNISON Ethical Care Charter

Monday 17 March 2014

Renfrewshire Council are leading the way in the commissioning of homecare services with the Leader of the Council committing to supporting the UNISON Ethical Care Charter on World Social Work Day (tomorrow, Tuesday 18 March 2014) .

The Charter sets minimum standards to protect the dignity and quality of life for people who need homecare. It commits councils to buying homecare only from providers who give workers enough time, training and a living wage, so they can provide better quality care for thousands of service users who rely on it.

Mark Ferguson, Branch Secretary of Renfrewshire UNISON and Chair of UNISON’s Scottish Local Government Committee, said:

“UNISON members working in Renfrewshire Council are proud that their council is leading by example, committing to our Charter that tackles the problems with homecare contracts head on.  Making this commitment to decent employment conditions for care workers is all about improving the quality of life for the people they care for. A living wage, more secure employment and time to care will help make it possible for dedicated care workers to stay in the job and focus on giving the best possible care."

Renfrewshire Council Leader Councillor Mark Macmillan said:
"I am delighted to be able to support UNISON's Ethical Homecare Charter. Home carers do a vital job helping older and vulnerable residents live with dignity and independence in their own home. We believe clients benefit from a higher quality of care when properly rewarded home carers take pride in the work they do. Renfrewshire Council pays its own home care workers the living wage and we successfully negotiated with employers in the private sector to pay their 300 staff the living wage too.”

Dave Watson UNISON Scotland Head of Bargaining and Campaigns said:

‘UNISON Scotland congratulates Renfrewshire Council and the hard work of UNISON members. It is a real example how unions work in partnership with councils to make sure we really deliver for those we care for. It’s also a positive response to the issues raised by care staff in our recent ‘Scotland – It’s Time to care’ report”.

Ethical Care Councils pledge to commission care only from providers who:

• Give workers the freedom to provide appropriate care and be given the time to talk to their clients.
• Allocate clients the same homecare worker(s) wherever possible.
• Do not use zero hour contracts.
• Pay the Living Wage (£7.65 per hour)
• Pay homecare workers for their travel time, their travel costs and other necessary expenses such as mobile phone use.
• Schedule visits so that homecare workers are not forced to rush their time with clients or leave their clients early to get to the next one on time.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Cllr. Macmillan will indicate his support for the Ethical Care Charter at 10am on Tuesday 18 March - World Social Work Day - at UNISON Office, Sir James Clark Building, Business Centre, Seedhill, PAISLEY PA1 1TJ

2. The Charter was developed following UNISON's UK 'Time to Care' report in 2012 can be read; http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/ socialwork/Final%20Ethical%20Care%20Charter%20PDF.pdf

3. The concerns of care staff in Scotland are set out in, ‘Scotland – It’s Time to Care’ http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/socialwork/timetocare.pdf

Scots councils urged to ditch ‘care on the cheap’ 15 minute home visits

UNISON Scotland today hit out at Scottish councils over commissioning 15 minute home care visits to elderly and vulnerable people.

A Freedom of Information request shows that 28 Scottish councils commission such short visits.

UNISON wants the UK and Scottish governments to ban 15 minute care slots and is urging councils to sign up to the union’s Ethical  Home Care Charter.

Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby said: “Austerity cuts are piling pressure onto an overstretched system but it is entirely wrong that in a supposedly civilised society councils are commissioning 15 minute home care appointments.

“Any member of the public can understand that 15 minutes is not enough to provide even the most basic care, let alone to very frail clients. People with dementia also find the rush of such short visits particularly distressing.