Collective bargaining arrangements introduced.
A new voluntary social care bargaining body will help improve pay
and conditions for more than 110,000 workers.
It will provide a forum for trade unions and care providers to
negotiate better wages and wider terms and conditions for workers
delivering adult social care services commissioned by local
government. Arrangements will be extended to other commissioned
services, such as children's social care, in line with the
Scottish Government's commitment to fair work.
It will be established by the Scottish Government and partners,
in response to requests from trades unions, and will begin
negotiating in 2026, with deals implemented from 2027-28.
In addition, the Scottish Government is taking immediate action
to improve conditions for workers delivering commissioned
services in the private, voluntary, and independent sector,
including:
- funding an increase in maternity and paternity entitlements
to bring them in line with that of staff employed directly by
local government; and
- funding Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks for
workers.
Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, , said:
“Social care workers provide essential, skilled support to the
people we love, often in demanding and emotionally challenging
circumstances. They deserve pay and conditions that reflect that.
"Fairer working conditions are essential to making social care
the attractive and rewarding career which it should be. I thank
trade unions and provider representatives for their positive
engagement on this issue and look forward to close cooperation
with them as we deliver sectoral bargaining.
"The steps we are taking today, with partners, deliver on our
commitments and mark a major milestone in building a social care
sector which we value, which we can be proud of - and that any of
us may one day depend on."
Background
The voluntary bargaining framework could cover more than 110,000
members of the workforce. It will not preclude higher pay or more
favourable terms and conditions being agreed by individual care
providers through local collective bargaining arrangements.
The Scottish Government provides funding to enable adult and
children's social care workers delivering direct care in
commissioned services, as well as those working in the private,
third and independent sectors delivering funded early learning
and childcare, to be paid at least the Real Living Wage.
