My mother works in front-line adult social care for local government in the UK. Recently, the local authority she works for has been in discussions with trade unions about how they can essentially introduce pay cuts in order to continue to pay for services. When this was questioned, and in response to swathes of recent resignations and staff sickness, bosses had the audacity to tell my mum and colleagues that they “don’t work for [the council], they work for their community”.
This translates to “we can keep treating you like shit and removing your support networks, and if you stop working or dare to complain, YOU’RE the asshole and are betraying the people in your care”.
The heads-of-service all get their 6-figure salaries, but those on £20k a year need to take one for the team for the good of “the community”? Fuck off!
The UK government and the current social care system is parasitic. It relies upon and exploits care workers’ unwillingness to let vulnerable people suffer, even when “the system” fails them. Most days, my mum works (from home) roughly 2-3 extra unpaid hours to keep on top of her caseload, as do a number of her colleagues.
Let’s hope “the community” will start helping to pay her bills.
Rant over.