Government urged to act after major minimum wage win by homecare workers, says UNISON

The government must end the practice of employers denying care staff wages for time spent travelling between visits to the sick and elderly, says UNISON today (Tuesday). It follows a ​recent significant legal victory by a group of homecare workers over illegal pay in a case brought by the union. The claimants – the majority of whom are women – will now receive an average settlement of around £10,000 each after an employment tribunal ruling. The tribunal found that contractors commissioned by Haringey Council in North London breached wage rules by paying some care staff less than half the minimum wage. The decision involving ​these ten workers has implications for thousands more care staff across the UK who look after vulnerable people by visiting them in their own homes. Those denied their full wages could now bring cases against their ​care employers to reclaim what they are owed, according to UNISON. The union says a national care service would help prevent these illegal pay practices by ensuring workers were paid a fair wage. The union has outlined this and other demands for urgent reform such as an end to zero-hours contracts ​in a motion to ​be debated today (Tuesday) at the 152nd annual Trades U​nion Congress​(TUC), which takes place online. The ruling in the Haringey case follows a four-year battle by the ten employees ​– launched during the 2016 TUC – and highlights major failings in the care sector, ​says UNISON. The care companies involved...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release care workers travel time Source Type: news