Commenting on health secretary Sajid Javid’s refusal today (Tuesday) to apologise to care home staff for the government’s mandatory vaccination policy, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“The government has treated staff working in English care homes and the wider sector appallingly. Ministers were warned repeatedly of the terrible consequences of the ‘no jab, no job’ rules, yet ploughed on regardless.
“The government must single-handedly take the blame for aggravating the staffing crisis and pushing care homes to the brink. It’s simply not good enough for the health secretary to say sacked workers can return to care homes if they like.
“Thousands of dedicated and experienced staff have been lost to the sector. Most will never return because they have found less stressful, better paid work.
“Sajid Javid should apologise and find the cash to ensure the real living wage is the minimum hourly rate in care. That’s the very least the government can do.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
