“It’s a huge victory” – Anchor employees celebrate as care home giant adopts living wage

Some Salford care workers are celebrating a pay boost after a long campaign to persuade their employer to adopt the real living wage.

Staff employed by the Anchor Hanover Group, the largest provider of specialist housing and care for older people in England, are to be paid £9.90 an hour rather than the minimum wage of £8.91.

Trade union Unison has campaigned for years to secure the rise from Anchor, which runs several homes in Salford.

Salford social care campaign secures £19m pay rise for care workers https://t.co/0DoHyL1P1L Great win for care workers! Well done @NorthWestUNISON for organising and fighting to win

— UNISON – UK’s largest union (@unisontheunion) December 3, 2021

Not all carers in Salford and around the UK are to receive the pay rise. 

One person who is not receiving these benefits is Lauren Mockler who works at Laburnum Court care home.

Lauren said: “I don’t think care workers get paid enough for the job we do. Even though it’s not all about the money as it is the most rewarding job with the bonds you build with the residents.”

“It would be nice to be recognised and appreciated with a suitable wage for the work we do, especially through a global pandemic where we really had minimal PPE during the beginning, risking our own lives and our families.”

 

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“I think there will be a lot of mixed feelings over the pay rise, especially the ones who won’t receive it. We should all be paid equally wherever we are.”

“It will make those who aren’t receiving it feel even more under-appreciated than they already do.”

“We are no different to the NHS care assistants or the NHS in general, yet they receive more appreciation than the private sector.”

“If the people who decide on pay actually saw the amount of work that goes in daily within the private sector care homes they may have a little more insight and actually see not only are we as understaffed as the NHS but we also deal with all types of care, advanced dementia, and end of life.”

“Maybe our sectors should strike for a satisfactory wage.”