Fair Pay Agreements in care 'potentially seismic'

Fair Pay Agreements (FPA) for care workers could make a 'potentially seismic' change to the sector, GMB has said.

The union, which represents tens of thousands of care workers across the UK, has long-campaigned for a pay rise for carers and was instrumental in Labour including Fair Pay Agreements in its manifesto.

GMB will now work with the Government and industry representatives to establish the Adult Social Care Negotiation Body (ASCNB).

Once in place, around 1.8 million care workers across 20,000 employers will benefit from the pay agreements.

Will Dalton, GMB National Officer, said:

"If we get it right, FPAs are a potentially seismic change in the care sector.

"For too long these workers, who play a fundamental role in our society, have suffered poor pay, terms and conditions.

"FPAs will enable us to negotiate and actually pay carers a living wage, while developing the industry into one safer, more respected and better valued.

"GMB has strongly pushed for workers' voices to play a pivotal role in the FPA and has repeatedly brought carers into the consultation meetings.

"No matter how the ASCNB and FPA take shape, there will be a huge amount of work to do - we look forward to getting on with it."