UNISON is calling for councils to sign up to the Ethical Charter, and will urge them to enforce Ethical Care Charter standards at the commissioning and contractor level.
Tara McCarthy, City of Edinburgh, highlighted that there was a veritable patchwork of private agencies and third-sector providers delivering our care services up and down the country, working to their own policies and procedures, with some better than others, leading to gross discrepancies in workers’ terms and conditions affecting pay, pensions, training, and workplace support.
Tara warned that whilst the implementation of the Ethical Care Charter at the point of commissioning could add consistency, the commissioning local authority also has to practice what they preach and holding to account those who have already signed up to the charter is key.
She pointed out that recruiting and organising more members from private and third sector care agencies needed support at a regional and national level. She warned, “There are serious implications in terms of support capacity which is further impacted upon when dealing with multiple employers.”
“So, yes, let’s support the implementation of the Ethical Care Charter in private and voluntary sector agencies but with the caveat that we must also assess progress of current signatories and consider the impact on branches in terms of servicing these members.”