Good evening
We hope you are all keeping safe and well, and hopefully a little bit of spring sunshine, even in restricted circumstances will make us feel a bit better.
Care Workers Need Full Sick Pay
“Maybe you are a care worker, providing domiciliary care. Every day you drive round to a number of different houses to provide support to the vulnerable members of our community. Your tasks are demanding, it may be lifting someone, administering medication or providing intimate personal care; in these days of austerity time with each person is extremely limited. Nevertheless you also treat people with respect – you are a care worker after all – the clue is in the name! You work hard, 40 hours a week for very little pay (although you are grateful that Unison has pressurised the Council into paying the Real Living Wage). It’s a struggle to keep your family and home together, but you do – just!
Then one morning you wake up with a bit of a sore throat, and maybe a bit of a temperature. You are aware of coronavirus, we all are, but it won’t be that will it. If it is you can’t possibly go into work, you wouldn’t dream of taking the risk of infecting your clients. But it can’t be corona virus can it? it’s just a bit of a bug, you often get them. Maybe you can get tested to be sure …. Oh hang on we’re still waiting for tests to be available.
Yes its just a bug. And if I call in sick I’ll only get SSP, that’s £94 a week. Oh heck! you can barely survive on your wages of £350/week, how can you possibly pay the bills, rent and feed the family on £94. But if it’s corona what choice do I have? No, don’t be daft you tell yourself, it won’t be corona, it can’t be. If only you didn’t have to take a chance, if only you got full sick pay like they do in the Council. Anyway you know its not corona, its just a bug. So off you got to work to help Mrs Johnson, 93 get out of bed and get dressed, and then dart to Mr Shah, 87 to give him a wash, and administer his meds”
This is the sort of situation many care workers are finding themselves in. This dilemma, this choice, health or hardship is not one any worker should face. Wirral Council can stop this; come on Councillors – do the right thing
Tuesday 28 April is International Workers’ Memorial Day, when trade unions remember all those who have died because of their work – and renew our pledge to fight for the living. In the year of coronavirus, this day of commemoration has never been more important. And that is why UNISON is asking the country to observe a minute’s silence, to remember all the health, care and other key workers who have already lost their lives to COVID-19.
We will be approaching Wirral Council, Magenta Living, Autism Together, Wirral Met College, Edsential, and Wirral Evolutions to ask them to officially observe this silence.
The campaign for a minute’s silence at 11am next Tuesday was launched earlier this week by UNISON, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives. Thousands of workers across the UK are caring for those suffering from COVID-19 or delivering vital public services that are vital for us all – potentially putting their own safety and even their own lives at risk. In many cases, these workers know that, by simply doing their jobs, they are putting themselves at risk.
The sacrifice of those working in the health and social care sectors has already been acknowledged, but there are also others – those working in childcare, police services and refuse collection, in hostels and rescue centres, in gas, water and electricity, and in transport services among them – whose work and dedication often goes unacknowledged. Tragically, some of these workers have already died. In some cases, more could have been done to protect them, whether by better enforcement of social distancing, looking after workers with underlying health conditions or provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep them safe.
While improvements have been seen in some areas, more needs to be done – specifically in relation to assessing the risks our members are facing and ensuring that all staff who require it are getting the protective equipment needed to do the job safely. UNISON has never been afraid to demand the highest standards for workers; we have not been afraid to speak out and hold the government to account on providing the right PPE when staff need it, and to hold employers to account who are not doing enough to keep their workers safe.
All of this adds to the importance of observing a minutes’ silence at 11am next Tuesday
PPE For Care Workers
Specific (and long overdue) guidance has been produced for those working in care homes providing information on how to work safely during this period of sustained transmission of Covid-19. It includes a flowchart for care workers providing care to residents to identify whether there is a need for personal protective equipment (PPE); PPE recommendations for care home staff; frequently asked questions on the use of PPE in care homes; and examples to help identify the correct use of PPE when undertaking activities that require physical contact or activities which do not require physical contact but are carried out in close proximity to residents
We would advise members to read the guidance in full, but to assist those who may not immediately have the time, the most significant development is the recommendation that surgical masks should be worn in all circumstances where there is the potential to come within 2 metres of a service user.
COVID-19_How_to_work_safely_in_care_homes.
Please keep in touch; let us know what problems or issues are you having? Or just your experiences of this new way of working work life. Your feedback is always welcome so we can continue to press for improvements.
If you are reading this because it has been shared with you and you’re not a member, here’s the link to join up! Click here
In solidarity!
Lois and Dave
Dave: davidnjones@wirral.gov.uk 07880199539
Lois: loisfounds1@wirral.gov.uk 07384512521
Published on: April 22, 2020