NHS workers struggling to live while paid minimum wage by private contractors

[Northerner]

Thousands of NHS staff are being treated as “second-class” employees as they’re forced to live off minimum wage, health unions have said.

Throughout hospitals across England an estimated 100,000 cleaners, porters, security guards and catering staff are struggling to get by on minimum wage as they work for private contractors, according to The Observer.

Public sector employees have seen a rise in pay during the same period, often for the same work.

Leading health union Resolution Foundation says the government’s new tax and benefit changes – which are to come into effect this weekend – only serves to make the country’s richest fifth of households richer while ignoring the poorer.

Union director Torsten Bell said: “This year’s income tax cuts are bumper ones for higher earners. If you earn £30,000 you’ll be £73 better off, but make that £327 for those of you on £60,000 – over four times as much. “Our lowest 40 per cent of earners will gain precisely zero.”

https://inews.co.uk/nhs/nhs-staff-employed-by-private-contractors-struggle-to-live-off-minimum-wage/

 

[Madeline]

I know nurses with families that have to use food banks, and the cost of living here is relatively cheap

 

[trophywench]

It isn't just the nurses though. Adult minimum wage is £8.21 ph. For a full time 40hr week = £328. Pay the income tax and NI and your fixed overheads and it doesn't amount to a great deal for anything else.

 

[Madeline]

It isn't just the nurses though. Adult minimum wage is £8.21 ph. For a full time 40hr week = £328. Pay the income tax and NI and your fixed overheads and it doesn't amount to a great deal for anything else.

I know, it’s nowhere near a living wage

 

[mikeyB]

The Tory sleight of hand is to call the minimum wage the living wage. It’s different in Scotland, where there is a government push to make all employers pay the living wage, which is £9. And that is backed up by public accreditation, so employers who don’t get shamed, inluding the government itself last year with cleaners at Holyrood.

Most cleaners in NHS England are paid minimum wage, and no overtime, and as often as not pay for their own uniforms.

 

[Drummer]

The people expected to look after my mother in law were scheduled to travel between their calls in impossibly short times, to find places to park in roads with no parking permitted, to perform miracles whilst in the house - never to find anyone in a state of collapse or just sitting in a soiled state staring at the wall...
They did however do silly things like making toast and jam as breakfast for a diabetic - twice, as there were two sets calling in during the morning. It was noted down in the workbooks they left behind - but neither one read the others notes.