By Bill Heaney
The GMB trade union have come out with a scathing attack on the ruling Labour Group at West Dunbartonshire Council.
The union is dismayed by the outcome of their appeal to the job evaluation decision of Home Carers submitted in November.
Had it been nodded through the carers would have received a small increase in their pay.
Kirsten Muat, a GMB Scotland, has told the carers, who are mainly women, the Council decision to throw it out is “not based on fairness or recognising the value if your role, but instead a manipulation the job evaluation scheme to keep your pay and grading low.
“Despite the clear evidence provided in the appeal and throughout the process, West Dunbartonshire have not upheld the appeal, and they are maintaining that a Home Carer should be scored a level 1/6 for communication and a level 2/8 for responsbility for service to others.
“GMB believe the outcome of this appeal is not based on fairness or recognising the value of your role, but instead a manipulation the job evaluation scheme to keep your pay and grading low.
“Home Carers in West Dunbartonshire have been underpaid and undervalued for a long time. The council had the opportunity to right this wrong, but have instead chosen not to and keep your pay down.
“This is why we are preparing to serve notice and start a formal ballot for industrial action in Care, and seeking legal advice on the the way the job evaluation scheme is applied.
“We know the valuable work of carers, out in the community caring for the most vulnerable every day, and won’t accept anything less than the pay which reflects that.”
Community Party councillor Jim Bollan, right, has come out in support of the care workers. He said: ““This is another scandalous decision by the Labour Council by refusing to upgrade our Carers from grade 3 to 4, not a massive increase but one that is well deserved.
“Predominately low paid overworked women who care for our elderly and vulnerable have been betrayed by Labour.
Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain has today questioned why less than half of carers have a completed support plan and called for a package of measures to support “forgotten” carers.
Figures from the Scottish Government’s Carers Census, published in December 2023, show that:
- There were 44,310 individual carers included in the final results who were supported by local services across Scotland in 2022-23. This represents a 5% increase from the reported number of carers in 2021-22 (42,050).
- Based on records where information on were available; 45% of carers supported by local services had a complete Adult Carer Support Plans (ACSPs) or and Young Carer Statements (YCSs) in place, while for 51% their ACSP or YCS was incomplete.
- The most commonly reported impact of providing unpaid care in 2022-23 was on carers’ emotional well-being. For records where this information was available; 79% of adult carers and 89% of young carers experienced an impact on their emotional well-being due to their caring role.
Wendy Chamberlain, left,
said: “People who care for others – whether paid or unpaid, young or old – do a remarkable and important job. They deserve our support but are far too often forgotten and ignored.
“These figures show that under SNP ministers, even the basic work to ensure carers are supported is not being done.
“I believe my Carer’s Leave Act, which comes into effect in April, will kickstart a transformation by making unpaid carers entitled for the first time to take additional unpaid leave from work to help balance caring responsibilities. However, this is just the first step on the long road to ensuring that the hard work of those who care is properly valued by society.
“Alongside ensuring that these vital support plans are completed, Scottish Liberal Democrats would guarantee respite care for unpaid carers, ensure they have the right to flexible working hours wherever possible and work with local government to introduce a package of carer benefits including free leisure centre access and self-referral to socially prescribed activities and courses.”
The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ have produced a plan for carers:
- We support an enhanced Carers Allowance in Scotland and are campaigning for a UK-wide uplift of £1,000 per year to recognise the value of carers. We will make it easier financially for carers to access education and training.
- We will recognise unpaid carers with guaranteed respite support for them, and give support for those who want to continue in employment.
- We will give carers the right to flexible working hours where it is in our power to grant this so they can balance employment and caring responsibilities.
- We will work with local government to introduce a package of carer benefits including free leisure centre access and self-referral to socially prescribed activities and courses.
- We will also extend the support and financial assistance available to carers following a bereavement that means their caring role comes to an end, recognising the need to both grieve and adjust.
- We will provide information and support to carers following the end of their caring role. This will include a new fund to support training and education for carers returning to work after caring. We will extend eligibility for financial support for up to six months after a person’s caring role comes to an end.
- We will engage carers and service users in an update of the 2016 Carers Act in order to improve it in the light of lessons from the pandemic.