Press release - Voluntary Sector cuts mean services on the cheap'
UNISON Scotland Community & Voluntary sector e-group
UNISON - the main unison representing Scotland's community and
voluntary sector staff today (Wednesday) welcomed the increased
investment of 10% in Scotland's care homes but expressed
disappointment that funding was not given to provide pay increases in
the Community and Voluntary Sector similar to those in the local
authority or healthcare sector. The union represents 6500 workers in
the Community and Voluntary Sector, and is angry that Scottish councils
have cut funding to social care providers in the sector.
Speaking before the Quarriers staff conference in Paisley, Community
and Voluntary Sector Regional Organiser, Matt McLaughlin said,
"During this years pay talks community and voluntary sector providers
across the board have told UNISON that local councils have either cut
budgets or expect them to deliver more services for the same money. One
council has apparently told a provider that they should deliver 4% more
care for no more money."
Commenting on the outcome of such actions Matt said,
"Put simply it can't go on. Staff in the sector are amongst the
worst paid and this years pay round will do nothing to bring them onto
a level playing field with their local authority and NHS colleagues. We
recognise that local councils have themselves been the recipients of
less than adequate grants in the last allocations, but providing
services on the cheap by not funding other providers fairly is not the
answer.
"It has been suggested that some providers are subsidising the
provision of statutory care from reserves and surpluses on other
contracts. In short, money that should be used for staff training and
for the development of new services for service users is being used to
underwrite Scotland's councils, whilst private sector care homes get
a 10% increase in their funding."
Matt ended by saying,
"For our members in the Community and Voluntary Sector this is a real
slap in the face. Despite their work and effort, if this continues they
will be destined to subsidise local councils and now the private
sector."