By Lucy Ashton
The SNP government has betrayed social care workers as Fair Work funding has been cut to cover the cost of government failure Scottish Labour has said today.
Scottish Labour can today reveal that the SNP government has cut a £50 million Fair Work initiative to divert funds elsewhere to plug gaps due to financial mismanagement.
The funding was intended to support the work of the Fair Work in Social Care Group to improve the terms and conditions of social care workers in the voluntary and independent sector, and to equalise their rights with local authority workers.
After a significant period of consultation, the Fair Work Group had agreed that priority action would be taken on improving terms and conditions in relation to:
-
Sick pay
-
Maternity pay
-
Paternity pay
Thereafter action on annual leave entitlement, pensions and ending zero hour contracts would follow.
The SNP has now cancelled this £50 million planned funding.
As the social care crisis deepens – with vacancies continuing to rise, contracts being handed back by providers and care packages being cut – this is a kick in the teeth for the staff in the voluntary and independent sector.
Ahead of speaking at Unite regional conference on Tuesday afternoon, Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie, above, said: “This is just the latest SNP betrayal of Scottish workers.
“We cannot have workers who are in need of help being short-changed by a dysfunctional SNP government.
“The fact is that when it comes to supporting Scotland’s workers, the SNP cares more about photo opportunities than it does about making a difference.
“The SNP had a chance to improve the terms and conditions of social care staff, instead they have cut £50 million contributing to the deepening of the crisis in social care.
“Only Labour can kick the SNP and Tories out of power, deliver a New Deal for Working People, and repeal anti-trade union laws.”