Care workers across Scotland have come together to demand the return of the ‘missing millions’ cut from the Scottish Budget originally intended to support them. 

Care workers from UNISON, GMB and UNITE yesterday protested outside parliament against a £38m ‘secret cut’ to funding meant for maternity, paternity and sick pay.  

A response to a freedom of information request shows money originally assigned to improve minimum terms and conditions, as part of the government’s Fair Work commitments in social care in 2023-24, was withdrawn last September.  

The Scottish Trade Unions Congress (STUC) says this withdrawal was made without consulting staff, and with no promise the funding would ever be restored. 

This means thousands of workers in the sector are now only guaranteed statutory levels of support, which the unions say will force them to choose between going to work sick and not being able to feed their families. 

The unions have asked the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care to intervene and provide immediate funding and a plan to implement Fair Work in 2024. 

A letter from the unions to Neil Gray MSP says urgent action is needed to save the care sector: 

‘This is a massive blow to the care sector and workers who feel desperately let down by politicians who they put their trust in to deliver for them.    

‘It also feels like a massive step back for Fair Work with the government retreating on its promises.  We need urgent action now!’ 

The First Minister told parliament earlier today that Mr Gray and the minister for social care, Maree Todd MSP, will soon meet with care workers to discuss their demands. 

Humza Yousaf MSP also called for cross-party support for the National Care Service Bill, which he said will improve terms and conditions of social care workers.

 The unions, along with their letter signatories, are demanding restoration of fair work funding, a pay-rise for care workers to £15 per hour and more funds to support sectoral bargaining.  

The Scottish government committed to implement Fair Work in social care back in 2019, but says delivery is taking ‘longer than expected’. 

Union bosses told MSPs in 2022 that workers are “frustrated beyond belief” that such little progress has been made.  

Workers are now accusing the Scottish government of betraying social care workers with the recent cuts. 

Roz Foyer, General Secretary of STUC, says: 

“Cutting the budget to improve the terms, pay and conditions of Scotland’s social care workers is, quite frankly, unforgiveable. This was a sleekit move from the Scottish Government with no transparency, no accountability and worse, no promise of restoring the funding.”  

“These were the front-line workers that cared for those most in need during the pandemic. Some even paid with their lives protecting the vulnerable and our communities from the virus. 

“For the Scottish government to cut the dedicated funding that would, in part, seek to implement Fair Work within the sector, with improved sick pay and conditions, is nothing short of betraying the workforce.” 

Read more: Unions: Social care workers need action now; Joint call for major National Care Service rethink; National Care Service must address 'failing market model of care'

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