Stand Up For Social Care: campaign celebrates as Manchester council agrees to pay care workers a living wage

Social care workers campaigning for a living wage for the sector have secured a significant victory after Manchester City Council agreed to their demand.

The local authority has announced it will require the Foundation Living Wage of £9.90 an hour as a minimum starting salary for all directly employed and commissioned care and support workers in the city.

Unison North West and social care workers have been lobbying extensively for higher minimum wages across the sector and a group recently met with Manchester City Council leader Coun Bev Craig.

The trade union says it is hopeful that other councils will now follow suit until all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs are paying the Foundation Living Wage.

Manchester City Council said it already paid some of its social care workers a real living wage but thousands more would benefit from the latest move as it would ensure all directly-employed and commissioned staff would be receiving better salaries.

What has Manchester City Council agreed to do?

Manchester City Council has agreed that the Foundation Living Wage of £9.90 an hour will be the minimum benchmark for anyone working in social care in the city.

This will apply to employees directly employed by the town hall and those working in services it commissions from other bodies.

Coun Craig has said the living wage pledge will be included in the council’s 2022-23 budget, which will be unveiled on Friday 4 March.

A group of care workers and Unison members met with Coun Craig and Manchester City Council deputy leader Coun Joanna Midgley earlier this week to make the case that all care workers deserve to be paid at least the Living Wage rate.

What has the campaign been doing and what will happen next?

Trade unionists and social care workers have twice lobbied the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) on the subject .

Campaigners from Greater Manchester Care Workers Demand A Pay Rise told council leaders and regional mayor Andy Burnham how low pay negatively effects their lives.

At one meeting a petition signed by more than 4,500 people demanding a Living Wage was handed over.

Manchester City Council is joining the ranks of Oldham Council, Salford City Council and Rochdale Council who have all agreed to the demand for a minimum living wage.

Trafford, Tameside, Wigan and Bury Councils have all indicated that they will pay the Living Wage from 2023-24, but campaigners say this is not soon enough as the cost of living spirals.

Bolton and Stockport Councils have not made any move towards paying a Living Wage.

Unison North West says the campaign will continue for all 10 Greater Manchester authorities to have the higher minimum salary in place.

What has been said about the living wage?

Care workers have described how, despite doing a vital, front-line job supporting vulnerable and elderly people, low wages in the sector can leave them on the breadline.

Campaigners have also said poor wages are a major problem for retaining social care workers.

Jill, a home care worker and Unison member in Tameside, said: “I’m a single parent and when the pandemic started, I had to start using a food bank.

“Nearly two years on, I’m still using the food bank. We need a pay rise and we need it now or there’s going to be no care workers left.”

Unison North West social care lead Dan Smith said: “We commend the decisions taken by Manchester, Oldham, Salford and Rochdale councils to show care workers they are valued by guaranteeing that they are paid the real Living Wage.

“This shows that it is within Greater Manchester councils’ power to ensure that front line workers can afford to provide for their families. We call on the remaining six councils in the city region to take responsibility and kick poverty wages out of social care now.

“The cost of living crisis is waiting for no-one and delaying a pay rise until 2023 will push even more brilliant care workers out of the industry.

“Greater Manchester care workers are speaking at events, launching petitions, lobbying politicians and organising together across the city. Standing together in their union, care workers are powerful and their strength is forcing decision makers to take notice.

“We will continue our campaign until every care worker in Greater Manchester is paid a Living Wage.”

What has the council said?

Manchester City Council said some of its social care workers already receive a real living wage but it was now ensuring that more would benefit by making sure all its commissioned services come in line with higher salaries earlier than originally planned.

Deputy leader Joanna Midgley said: “Care workers play a vital role in the wellbeing of Manchester people, especially our most vulnerable citizens.

“”We’ve seen their commitment and dedication vividly demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic and it is only right that we ensure that work is recognised and they are paid fairly.

“We already pay at least the Real Living Wage to care workers who we employ directly and to our commissioned homecare workers.

“Manchester was one of the first councils to implement this in 2018 and had previously committed to extending this to all commissioned services by 2023.

“By bringing this forward by one year this is the final piece in the jigsaw, to ensure that care workers across residential care and support services commissioned by council get a real living wage.

“I’m proud that the council has been able to take a lead on this.”