Highland home carers win pay deal by getting organised

by Liz Mackay, Highland Branch Secretary

Home carers in the Highland Branch have won significant gains in pay and conditions by getting organised and reconnecting with the branch.

Home carer members were mostly members who did not contact the Branch often. However, in 2007 Margaret Anderson, a home carer in Nairn, contacted the branch with a list of issues that needed dealt with.

The list included:

· Most members were on zero hours contracts, but had worked regular hours for many years

· They worked set times with clients but did not get paid travelling time between them.

· They only started to get travel mileage after they had completed 5 miles

· They only got straight time between 8 am - 8 pm (Monday - Friday) after they had completed 37 hours. They should have received time and a half.

Margaret was encouraged to become a steward so she could access paid time-off to attend meetings, and the list of grievances were raised with Highland Council.

Highland Council quickly acknowledged that home carers should be paid between clients, and that they should get paid travelling times from their base (their home in this instance). So all home carers got more pay - in many instances they doubled their wages.

Also, the council acknowledged that they should have received time and a half for work over 37 hours. Again this meant many home carers getting back pay and finally being paid the correct enhanced rate.

Through all this activity I and Margaret kept the members informed of the work being done and the increased activity has led to the recruitment of three home carer stewards, and has also resulted in many home carers being recruited to UNISON.

The branch is proud that we held our first home carers meeting recently. UNISON’s Lifelong Learning Development Officer is working with home carers and Highland Council on accessing learning opportunities for this group of staff, eg - Return2Learn and Starting Points.

One home carer has been recruited as the union learning rep for this undervalued group of workers.

The work is not finished - Highland Council are “modernising” the home care service, and UNISON reps are fighting to get the best deal for members. For example - Highland Council wished to push the predominantly female, part-time workforce on to full-time contracts.

Through the negotiations, UNISON managed to get members the opportunity to work both part-time and full-time.

Well, done Home Carers in the Highland Branch!

headlines . top