Commenting on the government’s immigration white paper announced by the prime minister earlier today (Monday), UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said:
“Building a skilled, better-paid domestic workforce in social care is vital, as is a proper career structure. But none of this will happen overnight.
“Until it does, the sector will be stuck in a doom-loop of staffing shortages. It’s only the recruitment of workers from overseas that’s stopped the system from falling over.
“Without migrant care staff millions of vulnerable people would have struggled to get the help they need. And the sector is still many thousands of workers short.
“If care companies can no longer recruit from overseas, they’ll need to find staff here. But while hourly pay rates remain stuck just above the legal minimum and zero-hours contracts are commonplace, the care sector isn’t an attractive career choice. People know they can earn more delivering parcels or making coffees on the high street.
“Recent announcements will be making overseas care staff nervous, particularly as the requirements for English fluency are increased, and expanded to include their families too.
“These new measures also move the goalposts by doubling the amount of time staff must work in the UK before gaining the right to stay.
“Ministers are right to crack down on those who exploit overseas staff, but visa sponsorship should be taken away from care employers altogether.
“Unscrupulous care bosses have been charging overseas workers for sponsorship that should be free, and using it to threaten and coerce their staff. Enabling migrant employees to move jobs more easily will make a real difference to tackling widespread ill-treatment.
“The employments rights bill and coming fair pay agreement in care will undoubtedly make a big difference by improving working conditions and wages over the coming years.
“But the government must get on with improving care, and fund the sector properly so it has to lean less on the NHS and can support people as the UK’s population ages.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contact:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
The article Reform of care must be priority as overseas recruitment ends first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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