UNISON is concerned that hundreds of homecarers in Swansea could be being paid less than the minimum wage – particularly those in the private sector.
Launching a campaign on the issue, the union has arranged meetings at the Phoenix Centre, Townhill, Swansea at 2pm on Wednesday 26 March and the Sandfields Day Centre, Sandfields, Port Talbot on 27 March at 2pm to discuss the next steps of the campaign.
UNISON organiser Eddie Gabrielsen said: “UNISON has consistently argued that homecare workers should be paid for the time they take to travel between calls, but we are still seeing many cases where they are not.
“With this in mind, our view it that where a worker is being paid the minimum wage or just above, and are not paid for their travel time, then they are actually working far longer than they are being paid for and are receiving a lower hourly rate.”
And Mr Gabrielsen added: ”In some cases, this hourly rate may take them below the national minimum wage, which is clearly illegal.”
UNISON recently won an important legal victory that supported this position and could mean that employers have been significantly underpaying members of their workforce, as well as breaking the law.
Swansea UNISON convenor Nicky Symons has called on the city’s council to sign up to the union’s Ethical Care Charter.
Deputy leader of the council, Christine Richards, has given a commitment to the union to consider this.
Ms Richards, said: “A large portion of homecare services have been outsourced to the private sector as a result of funding cuts imposed by the Tory government.
“In Swansea, as much as 80% of homecare is now delivered by the private sector. Some of these companies are making a killing at the expense of low-paid, committed workers.
“It’s a scandal that public contracts are being given to companies that do not have the ethical approach we believe is necessary to deliver care.”
Neath Port Talbot UNISON branch chair Mark Fisher observed: “As a public service union, we don’t only care about pay and conditions for our members, but also the quality of the care they can give to the most vulnerable in our communities.
“That’s why we’re asking councils to sign up to our Ethical Care Charter.
“We are also asking private-sector homecarers to come to a series of meetings we are holding, join the union and see if they are being underpaid. We really need to reconsider the value that is placed on such important work.
“Caring for the most vulnerable in our society should be decently rewarded work. It’s time to put a stop to the current scandal. It’s time to care.”
