8 good reasons why adult social care needs sectoral collective bargaining

• Published in: Institute of Employment Rights Journal 2019-01, Vol.2 (1), p.4-27
• Main Author: Hayes, Lydia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agreements; Collective agreements; Collective bargaining; Cost of living; Disability; Employers; Employment; Labor contracts; Labor standards; Labor unions; Legal rights; Living wage; Older people; Safety; Social services; Standard of living; Tax credits; Taxation; Work; Workers
• ISSN: 2398-1326; 2398-1334; 2398-1334
• DOI: 10.13169/instemplrighj.2.1.0004

[...]evidence points to a strong track record in which agreements are respected and applied on a day-to-day basis because they create a level playing field for all employers across an industry and workers are aware of the standards set out in the agreement because they have been consulted and involved.2 Why is sectoral collective bargaining a good idea? Since the 1980s, the setting of terms and conditions at work has increasingly moved towards a 'take it or leave it' system in which individuals have had little choice but to accept whatever an employer offers. [...]these minimum standards are insufficient to enable working people to lead a healthy life.3 For example, the government claimed that the introduction of a higher-rate National Living Wage would improve living standards but families are now worse off because the policy failed to reflect increases in the cost of living and was accompanied by cuts to tax credits and increases in tax.4 In theory, individual legal rights provide a safety net so that no-one is exploited but in practice (and for millions of working people) these rights are either unavailable, insufficient or unenforced. Employment rates are higher than at any time since records began but 40% of workers in the UK are now in 'bad jobs': jobs which do not provide them with security and a living wage.5 Sectoral collective bargaining is a better way to set minimum labour standards because it is democratic and enables working people to have a say in shaping the terms and conditions of employment for the jobs in which they work.6 Collective agreements are much more detailed and industry-specific than statutory rights. With more people living longer, considerable growth in demand for care has been both foreseeable and consistent with predictions.15 Over the next decade there will be more than half a million additional older people in need of substantial care and rising demand will require the current number of adult social care workers to double.16 The increased incidence of disability and illhealth in old age underlines the case for recognition of adult social care as