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| Kate Ramsden |
The composite motion was moved by UNISON’s Audrey McCabe, herself a care worker. She made a powerful call for sectoral bargaining and decent pay and status for social care workers recognising the essential work they do.
Kate Ramsden supported, on behalf of Aberdeen Trades Union Council, pointing out that the Scottish Government has approved its so called National Care Service bill at Stage 1, because the Minister says she will no longer implement it as it stands. However she has not shown what the bill will actually look like.
“So the reality is that the bill remains as it
always did, with all the aspects we campaigned against still there,” warned
Kate.
“The
Minister has promised that the Bill will look nothing like the one approved by
the government, but demands by the Health, social care and sports committee
that she publish her amendments by end March have been… well, ignored.”
Instead she has set up a hastily convened Expert Legal Advisory Group to
consider amendments. “It has 61 members, said Kate. “If a camel is a horse
designed by a committee we can expect to get something like a Komodo dragon,”
said Kate to some laughter.
She warned
that initial proposals presented to this group are extremely worrying
“They propose a National Care Board appointed rather than
elected and accountable only to Scottish ministers - that will suck powers up
to the centre.
“Its plan is to end the “postcode lottery” of social care
but it proposes no additional funding and doesn’t once mention fair work in
care.
“From what I can see, it’s another layer of bureaucracy to
keep control of IJBs in their unenviable task of providing care to our most
vulnerable with no additional resources, no plans to value staff better by
applying the fair work principles and no plans to take profit out of care.
She called for the bill to be scrapped but added
that if it progresses, the STUC and affiliates must monitor the progress of the
bill closely to make sure that it’s fit for purpose.