Unite the Union puts workers’ demands centre of nationwide campaign to fix critical sector.
Unite the union has launched a nationwide campaign putting the demands of social care workers at the centre of the solutions needed to fix the crisis impacting the sector.
The union represents thousands of social care workers in the private, not-for-profit, and public sector who are facing an uncertain future due to the lack of investment in service provision.
Unite’s campaign builds on hundreds of social care providers also raising the alarm over chronic underfunding, staffing pressures, and rising demand which are threatening the stability and sustainability of social care provision across Scotland.
Sharon Graham Unite general secretary said: “There is a social care crisis in Scotland. It is getting to the point of no return whereby social care provision could become irreparably broken. It is outrageous workers’ pay is so low.
“Unite is committed to moving the dial and ensuring social care workers get fair pay and decent conditions. Unite will fight for better jobs, pay and conditions for social care workers across Scotland."
In advance of the Scottish government’s autumn budget on 26 November, Unite has launched an electronic open letter targeted at Tom Arthur MSP, minister for social care, with three key demands for social care workers:
Fair and sustainable pay for registered social care workers that reflects their essential role.
A real terms increase in funding for social care in the Scottish Budget 2025-26.
Meaningful engagement with all stakeholders to design a long-term future for social care in Scotland.
Shauna Wright, Unite lead officer for social care in Scotland said: “Social care workers need a wage that is reflective of the professional role that they do and they need it now.”
“Workers and care users are being put at risk due to chronic underfunding which also impacts on the desire of professional workers to enter into the social care sector due to the lack of funding and financial insecurity.”
Unite says that without urgent Scottish government intervention and investment then social care providers could cease to function over the coming years resulting in job losses and more individuals leaving the profession which would lead to a ‘point of no return’ for the social care sector.
Daniel a social care worker in Edinburgh added: "We are a skilled workforce who continue to be underfunded and treated as less than our peers in the healthcare sector. We really are at crisis point, and this has a devastating knock-on effect on other areas of healthcare which are also struggling to cope in their own right. The only way to effectively address this is to recognise social care as a vital part of our wider healthcare system and fund the sector accordingly."
