Responding to a report from the Health Foundation published today (Thursday) suggesting that care home staff are twice as likely to live in poverty as the average UK worker, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“Care work is highly skilled. But pay and prestige in the sector are low, leaving staff exploited and underpaid.
“It’s a national scandal that those looking after some of the most vulnerable are more likely to be on poverty pay and struggling to make ends meet.
“Until wages go up, the sector won’t be able to recruit the staff needed and gaps in the workforce will only increase as the UK’s population ages.
“By finding the funding for a fair pay agreement that should see care workers rewarded properly, the government will be showing it’s serious about transforming the crisis-ridden sector.
“Decent wages have to be at the heart of the promised national care service the country needs so desperately.”
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 contacts:
Dan Ashley M: 07789 518992 E: d.ashley@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
The article Care recruitment crisis won’t end while workers are living in poverty, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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