Posted on: 31 March 2025

Dear GMB Members,

We are pleased to inform you that after numerous meetings to discuss improvements to your pay, terms and conditions of employment, a final offer has been presented by the employer to your GMB representatives.

This year has seen a growth in membership and greater engagement with pay negotiations across Maria Mallaband Care Homes - and it’s no wonder. Last year, GMB members employed by HC-One, the UK’s biggest private social care provider, were able to win company sick pay for the first time ever. GMB members at MMCG, encouraged by these significant steps, and inspired by this win, made it clear in the pay surveys returned to us late last year, that you wanted much of the same. You told us that you wanted to both replicate and build on improvements to sick pay in your own place of work, and you have.

Sick Pay Hundreds of you completed the pay survey calling for improvements to sick pay, including personal testimonials detailing the financial difficulties you face when unable to attend work, and of the pressures to attend work ill.

We’re pleased to report that the company has made GMB members an offer to introduce company sick pay, to be paid on the second and third day of absence at £23.75 a day from 1 April 2025. Statutory Sick Pay will then apply from day four. While we asked for a higher payment and called on the company to provide sick pay from day one, this is still a big step. GMB members have instigated the change to the sick pay culture in private social care, where care providers previously have never paid more than SSP. Your participation in our pay survey achieved this result and we are confident that with continued and growing participation from GMB members working for MMCG, we will make more and greater improvements to sick pay and other key terms of your employment going forward.

We cannot emphasise enough, this advancement would not have happened had you not filled in your surveys and showed how important this issue is to you.

The message that most of you shared, that you needed a sick pay rise, was so strong that it gave us the backing we needed to secure this demand at the negotiating table. Proof that the more you participate in your union, the stronger your voice is.

If the offer is accepted by MMCG members, the sick pay policy will be updated to reflect this change.

Thanks to GMB seeking further protection for MMCG workers, the company has also agreed to sign up to the Dying to Work Charter. The charter gives a guarantee to you that if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, you will not be dismissed on capability or be put under pressure to leave the business. This means you can take control of your life, live with dignity and continue to work on your terms. If you die, you will still be employed, and your family will receive your death in service payment.

Pay Rates The pay offer will vary across job roles and homes. For most staff, the offer will mean an increase of 6.6%, or 77p per hour, taking the company minimum to 13 pence per hour above the national living wage. We have also ensured that there is a continuation of the pay differentials of a further 20pph for level 2 and 40pph for level 3 qualifications relevant to your job role. There are, however, several exceptions to this formula, with increases ranging from between 2 and 10%. Your union reps will have this information and will be happy to discuss what this means for you before you cast your vote.

If accepted by the membership - your pay will increase from 1st April 2025.

Paid Breaks The company has said that they will work with us to ensure that all staff are able to take their break entitlement on every shift. At this point they have said that they are not able to pay for breaks. However, now that they are aware of this problem – courtesy of the feedback we gave them from your survey responses, that many of you do not get the opportunity to take your breaks – MMCG want to rectify this. We will keep you updated as this work progresses.

Overtime Rates The last element of your pay claim – the request to be paid overtime rates – has not been successful. The company stated that the number of vacancies across the homes are down and that they do not have a problem with staff picking up extra shifts. Therefore, they say that there is not a need to pay an enhanced rate for overtime. This doesn’t mean that we cannot return to this issue further down the line as union organisation across the homes continues to grow stronger.

We still have a long way to go to make MMCG a real living wage employer and to secure £15 an hour as the minimum company rate, and we recognise that we are only at the beginning of the journey to transform your sick pay entitlement, but we believe the company’s response to your pay claim this year is an important step forward. This offer secures a pay uplift comparable to the pay increase made in 2024, it improves sick pay for every single worker in MMCG and it proposes to look at remedying the problem of staff being unable to take their breaks. But is this response to your claim enough? It is now time for you to decide.

Just like the surveys you have completed - the more of you that participate in your pay ballot, the stronger your message to the company and the louder your voice.

Make sure you vote to ensure that MMCG staff provide the strongest response to this year's pay claim.

GMB reps are not recommending which way you vote on this offer.

Ballots will be run in workplaces, online and by post.

If you do not receive a ballot paper by Thursday 27 March, please contact your regional officer to make sure we have up to date contact details for you.

You can contact your regional office on the following numbers;

GMB London 020 8202 8272 - Rachel.Baylis@gmb.org.uk

GMB Midlands 0115 960 7171 - Norma.Kerr@gmb.org.uk

GMB NE, Yorkshire & Humber 0300 013 3377 – Rachel.Dix@gmb.org.uk

GMB North West & Irish 0151 727 0077 - lisa.nash@gmb.org.uk

GMB Southern 020 8397 8881 - kasia.naskretska@gmb.org.uk

GMB Scotland 0141 332 8641 – Kirsty.Nimmo@gmb.org.uk