Vacancies warning after pay talks stall

Public sector union Unison has warned of a looming crisis in the
residential care sector unless local government employers increase
their “pathetic” pay offer.

It says the 7 per cent offer over three years for local government
staff must be increased with no strings otherwise vacancy rates
will soar. But pay talks between the employers and unions have
stalled.

A Unison survey of 1,809 residential workers found that a third
were looking for new jobs. Nearly half (41 per cent) earn less than
£6 an hour and three quarters earn less than £7 an hour,
which under the current offer would be increased by just 16p.

National secretary Heather Wakefield said: “Our survey shows that
residential care workers are still paid a pittance. It underlines
just how pathetic the offer is.”

But a spokesperson for the Employers Organisation said recent
figures showed vacancy rates had fallen from 8.5 per cent to 6.9 in
homes for older people.