Home Carers

We've had a lot of calls this week from Home Carers - asking for an explanation about the basis of their equal pay claims.

Home Carers last had their jobs evaluated and graded back in 1988 - at that time they were placed on Manual Worker Grade 5 - a relatively high grade - certainly higher than many traditional male jobs such as Refuse Driver (Grade 4), Refuse Collector (Grade 2) or a Road Sweeper (Grade 1).

Yet, these male jobs were all paid big bonuses on top of their basic pay - which were never paid to the female dominated jobs.

So, despite being on a higher grade, Home Carers were actually being paid much less in terms of take home pay - with the men earning an extra 50% or so routinely every week - a practice which the unions, of course, kept hidden from their women members.

In financial terms, a Home Carer has been working for about £6 an hour - for the past 6 years - while these traditional male jobs have been earning £9 + an hour - even though they do lower graded work.

A full-time Home Carer with 6 years service has a claim worth well over £30,000 - £3.00 per hour x 37 (hours per week) = £111.00 x 52 (weeks of the year) = £5,772 x 6 (years back pay claim) = £34,632 + interest on top.

That's how much more the traditional male jobs have been paid over the past 6 years - and that's why Home Carers and so many other groups have such sizeable claims.

The employers and the unions said they would sort this out 10 years ago - and didn't keep their word - they are now trying to clear up a mess of their own making - but in doing so they're still trying to avoid paying the female dominated jobs what they're really worth.