Motion 38
Building a World Class Care Service
“That this Congress notes that despite the engagement of trade unions in the Scottish Government’s National Care Service Bill and Fair Work in Social Care workstreams, that the same pressures felt by the social care workforce continue: overworked, underpaid, and undervalued.
“Congress notes that the increase of £12 an hour for social carers as of April 2024 was implemented outwith any collective bargaining structures, without meaningful engagement with trade unions and that this increase has been undermined by inflation; and believes that this still does not value social care workers and will not tackle the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector.
“Congress is disappointed at the lack of progress in establishing sectoral bargaining structures in social care which will allow trade unions to bargain for minimum terms and conditions such as increased pay and sick pay, whilst still enabling workforces to negotiate with their own employer for improved terms and conditions.
“Congress notes that the lack of detail on key matters such as trade union representation and enforcement in a NCS has caused trade unions to have either lost faith or are losing faith in the NCS; notes that Integration Joint Boards are responsible for procuring private care providers offering poor pay, terms and conditions; and that if IJBs are to play a central role in care provision, they require drastic reform and oversight.
“Congress therefore calls on the Scottish Government to:
- increase the social care minimum wage to £15 an hour with a proportionate increase for nursing and ancillary staff;
- commit to a clear timeline for the implementation of sectoral bargaining across social care which includes the public, private and third sectors; and
- reform of Integration Joint Boards to improve democratic accountability and powers to the National Care Service to robustly enforce standards in social care.”
Mover: GMB Scotland
RSS