Council commits to the ending ‘task and time’ which sees some carers paid less than minimum wage
Sheffield City Council has formally adopted GMB’s care home charter.
The motion, passed at a meeting of the full council, aims to improve the terms and conditions of care workers who conduct home visits known as domiciliary care workers by committing to scrap the controversial ‘task and time’ model.
Task and time sees the overwhelmingly women workforce sometimes paid below the minimum wage due to the way it calculates how long home visits take.
The charter means the council commits to the commissioning of care in blocks and aiming for pay, that’s more in line with local government workers.
It also commits the council to prioritise training when signing contracts with providers, and union involvement in care commissioning and planning.
Terry Fox, Sheffield Council Leader, said:
“Throughout the pandemic local care workers have gone above and beyond in supporting vulnerable residents in their homes, often at great personal risk. Signing up to the charter is a continuation of what we have been doing for years in making sure we’re doing the right thing for carers and patients.
“Boosting the pay of local workers creates a virtuous cycle boosting our local economy and boosting low pay at a time when people’s wages are under pressure.
“A decade of severe government underfunding has created a crisis in social care, but we’re committed to doing everything we can at a local level to deliver the best possible service in Sheffield”
Deanne Ferguson, GMB Organiser, said:
“Thousands of female home carers across Yorkshire have worked hard over the last two years to look after some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
“The Conservative government have cut billions from local government and left local communities footing the bill.
“That’s why despite the pressures it’s great to see Sheffield adopting our Ethical Care Charter, it begins to move us towards a system of care that looks after and supports workers and patients. “
