"...they care for the most vulnerable. But they themselves are vulnerable to poverty. This needs to change..." UNISON
Salford recently became the first city in England to be awarded the title of Living Wage City by the Living Wage Foundation, as Salford City Council and the Salford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) pay all their direct employees the Living Wage of at least £9.30 per hour.
This, however, is not written into the contracts for the many companies that Salford Council and the CCG directly contract for adult social care, and many are earning just the legal minimum wage of £8.21 per hour for those over 25, and £4.35 for those under 18.
Now, the workers, together with trade union Salford City UNISON are launching a campaign to change this, with a public meeting next Saturday 15th February, between 11am and 1pm at Gilda Brook Social Club in Eccles.
As well as the workers themselves, also in attendance will be Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett, Barbara Keeley, MP for Worsley and Eccles South and Shadow Minister for Social Care, councillors and NHS reps.
The Mayor and co will have some difficult questions to answer as to why care workers aren't receiving the Real Living Wage, as the Foundation itself lays out examples of where this is already happening throughout the country, like Hackney, and how to do it...
For adult domiciliary social care homecare block contracts, it can be written into contracts; for 'spot purchased homecare' it can be written into letters or service level agreements; and for those who use direct payments for care, the Council should write a letter to all direct payment recipients, 'making clear that the local authority is giving them sufficient funds to pay the real Living Wage for their hours of care'.
For residential adult social care, the wage rate can also be written into contracts, and for staff delivering residential spot contracts this can also be stipulated into individual service agreements or pre-placement agreements.*
Contrary to some beliefs, the Living Wage Foundation does not exclude adult social care workers from its requirement that all council contractors be paid at least the real Living Wage... "but it does accept that in many cases this will be the hardest category of contractor to crack, and likely the one which will take the longest"...
The Foundation adds that "It is important to note that no legal case has ever been brought against any local authority in the UK for building the real Living Wage into its procurement policy and practice..."
What is the biggest block, the Foundation agrees, is the cost to local authorities and it gives figures ranging from an extra £1million to an extra £3million to bring in the Real Living wage for care workers.
In Salford, the adult social services department is forecast to overspend by £6.1million this financial year, while a recent report from Salford Council and the CCG states that "86% of directors believe the National Living Wage will be the biggest driver of increases in unit costs for residential, nursing and home care. It will cost councils in the region of a further £448m"...That is the National Living Wage, never mind the Real Living Wage!
To implement the Real Living Wage in Salford, it seems, is a matter of financial and political priorities.
"We are proud to support these care workers in their fight for a decent wage" says Steve North branch secretary of Salford City UNISON "The Government's 'Living Wage' is no such thing. It is not based on the real cost of living, whereas the Foundation Living Wage is.
"Care workers do one of the hardest and most important jobs in our society they care for the most vulnerable" he adds "But they themselves are vulnerable to poverty. This needs to change."
And Melissa Thomas, a Salford care worker, explains: "We are loving, caring staff that are paid the minimum wage to support very vulnerable people to manage their personal care, help with their finances, provide them with medication and lots more.
"We invite the public to come along and hear more about us particularly those whose loved ones we care for" she adds "But we also want to hear from those who have the power sort this out and give us the dignity we deserve."
Care Workers Public Meeting
Saturday 15th February, 11am-1pm
Gilda Brook Social Club
34 Wellington Road, Eccles, MM30 0NP.
All welcome
*For more details on the Real Living Wage Foundation's stance click here
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