- Conference
- 2014 National Retired Members Conference
- Date
- 24 June 2014
- Decision
- Carried
Homecare workers are personally propping up a deteriorating system of adult social care but are being pushed to breaking point. That they are still willing to deliver good levels of care in spite of the system is nothing short of heroic. For the system to work it needs to be underpinned by adequate funding and a workforce whose terms and conditions reflect the respect and value they deserve. Crucially they must be given the time to care.
The over-riding objective behind the Ethical Care Charter is to establish a minimum baseline for the safety, quality and dignity of care by ensuring employment conditions which (a) do not routinely short- change clients and (b) ensure the recruitment and retention of a more stable workforce through more sustainable pay conditions and training levels.
Conference therefore instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee to:
1. publicise UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter to all Retired Members’ groups;
2. encourage groups to work with their branches to encourage employers to sign up to the Ethical Care Charter;
3. ensure that the National Retired Members’ Committee liaises with the National Executive Committee and the National Committees of other self-organised groups to ensure there is a coherent and inclusive strategy for implementing the Ethical Care Charter at National, Regional and Branch levels.