A minimum wage of £10 an hour should be funded by increasing capital gains tax, not national insurance
In a week’s time, the TUC will hold its 153rd congress in London. Shortly before I get up to give my annual address, a short film will be played of some care workers I met in Middleton, Greater Manchester, this summer.
What they told me about working through the pandemic will always stay with me. Coping without personal protective equipment. The trauma of seeing the people they were caring for – and some of their colleagues – die from Covid. One care worker, Carol, who supports adults with complex needs, told me: “We have their lives in our hands 24 hours a day.” A huge responsibility – but Carol earns less than the national minimum wage. It is disgraceful.