Growing Support For £15 An Hour Minimum Wage For Carers

Growing Support For £15 An Hour Minimum Wage For Carers – But Government Lacks Ambition

Responding to the Scottish Parliamentary debate this afternoon (Tuesday 16 February) on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care, Rhea Wolfson of the GMB Scotland Women’s Campaign Unit said:

“There is growing support across the Scottish Parliament for a £15 an hour minimum wage in social care, more and more MSP’s are waking-up to the fact we have to properly value these key workers.

“But the Cabinet Secretary’s comments on pay lacked ambition and hope. The prevalence of the living wage across social care should be a point of concern, not comfort, because it exists to help keep workers out of poverty and no more. We can’t settle for the bare minimum.

“The Feeley Report is clear that for every £1 spent on social care generates £2 for the wider economy, so proper value for its workers could be transformative for the sector, the economy and for the equalities agenda.

“The Scottish Government has said it wants social care on an equal footing with our NHS but that won’t happen if it cannot go further on its workers’ pay and conditions.”

ENDS

Contact: GMB Scotland Communications on 07976 447077.