Report highlights challenges facing workers in long-term care

Europe

A new report by the Eurofound research organisation examines the long-term care sector and the challenges of low pay and difficult working conditions faced by workers, 80% of whom are women. The report indicates that there is good collective bargaining coverage in some countries, but this is often mainly in the public sector with low coverage in the private, for-profit sector and particularly low coverage of home care staff. Low pay, relative to other sectors, even impacts on the more skilled and senior staff and the widespread use of part-time work – double that of other sectors – also means that many workers are on low incomes. The report highlights the importance of extending collective bargaining coverage and the use of public procurement to ensure better employment conditions in contracted-out services.

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