Social carers in Liverpool secure living wage

UNISON North West has secured the Foundation Living Wage for all care workers commissioned by Liverpool Council. The wage increase will come into place in April 2024. UNISON’s Stand Up for Social Care campaign began when the union conducted research to see which councils were paying carers above the living wage.  After securing the living wage for carers across the greater Manchester area, increasing pay for around 25,000 carers, the union’s organisers set their sights on Merseyside. There are six councils within Merseyside: Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton, Halton and St. Helens. With Wirral already paying the living wage, UNISON members began a campaign targeting the others in October 2022. In late 2022, UNISON members presented a 3,000-strong petition to the metro mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotherham, alongside leaders from the six other councils. Members then began lobbying all five councils in the region by attending local meetings. Knowsley has introduced the Foundation Living Wage, paid into carers’ wages from April 2023, and Liverpool has committed to deliver the wage by April 2024. UNISON regional organiser, Dan Smith, said: “Care workers are some of the most exploited workers in the public sector. They are overworked and under-paid, with the vast majority employed by private providers who prioritise profits over paying their staff a decent wage. “UNISON members working in care in the North West have shown it doesn’t have to be like this. B...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article care workers Foundation Living Wage North West stand up for social care Source Type: news