Ministers cannot take a back seat on care, that’s how care workers end-up mired in a pandemic without proper PPE or sick pay
GMB union says a move by a care giant to leave tens of thousands of care workers without access to a recognised union is a ‘fresh attack on carers’ rights’.
Barchester Healthcare, which employs more than 30,000 employees, has begun the process of derecognising GMB in their facilities across the UK.
This week, GMB members are protesting at dozens of care homes against the move [See notes to editors for list of protests]
Rachel Fagan, GMB Lead Organiser, said:
“If the Government genuinely wants to help level-up low-paid workers and forgotten communities it cannot possibly be relaxed about care bosses stepping up the decade long race-to-the-bottom on the rights of care workers.
“GMB isn’t going to stand on ceremony; we are campaigning for £15 an hour social care minimum.
“That's the only way to tackle the growing understaffing crisis in social care and to confront the chronic exploitation of a workforce of pre-dominantly women and BAME workers.
"De-recognition of unions by Barchester is just the thin end of the wedge on what could be a fresh attack on employment rights and value in the social care sector. This isn’t levelling-up, this is levelling-down.
“And what covid has ruthlessly exposed is that Ministers cannot take a back seat on the future of social care delivery – that’s how care workers end-up mired in a pandemic without proper PPE or sick pay.
“It’s got to be so much better than this.”
