Carers Trade Union

Carer Watch is pleased to announce the launch of the Carers' Trade Union. The CTU is intended to become a full trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of unwaged carers. It will seek recognition within the trade union movement. It will also seek negotiating rights on behalf of carers. This will take a considerable time and much work to achieve. It will be independent of Carer Watch and run by its members, developing its own democratic system of management. It is anticipated that it will continue to maintain a close and co-operative relationship with its parent organisation.

If you are interested and feel you can contribute to the formation of The Carers Union by being pro active, please feel free to join us at the discussion board. You will be required to post in introductions before access to the full board, patience as well as input will be required at this early formative but important development stage. Help us to help you help and help other carers now and in the future.

The establishment of a carers' trade union is a very long term project. The point of a manifesto is to have something which raises the awareness of carers to the present limitations of their situation. This can then be passed on by carers groups and individual carers who are interested in the idea. Hopefully, discussion will develop over time until we have sufficient supporters to set up a provisional group. So please pass it on so that the largest possible number of carers may become aware that this discussion is taking place.

Why a trade union for carers ?

The campaign for a carers' trade union is premised on the reality of the caring situation. Of course, given the variation in the situations of carers, it fits better into some contexts than others than others. However, all carers work, regardless of their particular situation. This fact is often obscured by the notion of family duty to stricken dear ones.No doubt this idea of family obligation suits government very well, since it disguises the obvious fact that if families did not discharge this "obligation", it would have to be paid for out of public funds. The reality is that families are not necessarily able or available to do this essential work. When they are, they need to be paid for it. Family financial needs are greater, not lesser, in caring situations. The idea that carers are laudable self-sacrificing people who should be admired and given a hand-out, needs to be opposed. family carers are unwaged care workers who need and require to be paid for the work they do.

The central objective of a carers' trade union should be to work for a carers' wage. Carers have a right to a wage, paid for out of public funds. The care of the sick, disabled and elderly is a social responsibility in a civilised society. At the moment, carers are organised in a wide variety of charities and independent carer-led organisations. The campaign for a carers' trade union does not seek to replace or undermine these organisations in any way. We campaign to raise the awareness of carers to the reality of their situation. We also campaign to raise the awareness of government to the situation of carers. A carers trade union would seek recognition for its members and the right to represent them in negotiations for wages and conditions of service. Family homes in which caring takes place are also work places and the appropriate equipment and conditions should exist in them. They should also be covered by appropriate legislation. We believe that whatever improvement may be made to the situation of carers, these can only be safeguarded and improved upon over time by organised carers themselves. We may appreciate the help offered to us by others, but we speak for and rely on ourselves.