Time to pay social care workers properly.
Every social care worker should be paid at least £15 per hour with annual increases in-line with inflation at minimum, says Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay.
The party’s manifesto will commit to a £15 minimum wage for all social care workers alongside an end to precarious contracts in the sector and collective bargaining rights starting with trade union recognition.
It is a core part of the party’s vision of a care system that is free at the point of use and works for staff and service users.
Gillian said:
“The job our health and care workers do is vital and means a huge amount to service users and their families.
“We ask them to step into people’s lives at their most vulnerable moments, providing dignity, stability, and compassion in a system that often falls short.
“It is emotionally and physically demanding work, but it is a sector where low pay and precarious conditions are still all too common.
“Almost every family has seen the impact of their work. My grandpa had three years of fantastic social care before he passed away. Those carers enhanced his life, becoming part of his social circle and ensuring that he was well looked after
“But with high turnovers, understaffing and good people leaving the sector, there is a fragility at the heart of the system.
“What does it say about our society if the people who care for some of our most vulnerable citizens, can’t afford a decent standard of living themselves? £15 an hour can’t be a ceiling, it has to be a minimum.
“That is why we need to ensure that everyone who uses the services receives the best possible care and that every care worker has the resources they need and the pay and conditions they deserve.”
