Speak out for care workers’ rights to minimum wage, London Assembly urges Mayor

Boris Johnson should write to all London boroughs on the issue of pay in the social care sector, assembly members said today.

The Mayor of London should condemn employers who avoid their responsibility to pay the National Minimum Wage by refusing to pay care workers for journey time between appointments, the London Assembly said on Wednesday.

It is thought that between 150,000 and 200,000 care workers across the UK are not paid for travel time to and from appointments. London Assembly members have now backed a motion urging the Boris Johnson to speak out against this practice in the capital.

They also called on him to write to all London boroughs to encourage the adoption of best practice on the issue of pay for workers in London’s care services sector, including by ensuring they only use providers who pay the London Living Wage.

Stephen Knight, who proposed the motion, said: “A full day’s work deserves a full day’s pay, and it’s totally unacceptable that some care workers are not being paid for travelling between appointments, effectively reducing them to a life below the national minimum wage.

“The Mayor must speak out about the low pay endemic in the care system. Councils across London – and across the political spectrum – could and should do more to tackle this blatant and cynical exploitation.”

The motion gained 13 votes in favour and 6 against at a meeting of the full London Assembly.

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