Every year Usdaw, the shopworkers’ union, organises a campaign to raise awareness of the pressures members are under when they are juggling work with looking after someone.
This year’s campaign day is being held today, Wednesday 18 May, and it is all about carers, with the theme ‘Usdaw Cares About Carers’.
Usdaw is encouraging as many people as possible to sign up to our Thunderclap, so we can spread the message far and wide that ‘Usdaw Cares About Carers’. To show your support, visit thunderclap.it and search ‘Usdaw Cares’.
Millions of disabled, elderly and vulnerable people rely on friends and family for care and support. Carers do a difficult, tiring and enormously important job that gets little recognition or reward.
Carers rarely choose to become carers – it is something that can happen to any one of us at any time. When it does happen, carers can feel that they do not have the same control over their lives as they had before.
More and more Usdaw members are becoming carers. Every day 6,000 people become carers, looking after a loved one who is older, disabled or ill. Nearly half of all carers are in work but many struggle with the strain of juggling work and care.
Changes to hours at work and cuts in benefits and support services are making life hard for carers. They are being expected to provide greater levels of care with reducing levels of support to back them up. It is getting harder for carers to have a life of their own alongside caring.
Usdaw wants to see government and employers do more to support carers. This should include a clear strategy for improving carers’ incomes and a right to paid care leave.
We also want members who are carers to know that Usdaw is trying hard to win them a better deal and can help with problems at work.
When times are tough members who are carers need the support of their union.
Today, throughout the United Kingdom, thousands of Usdaw reps and members will be out running campaign stalls in workplaces and shopping centres to let our members know that we are there to give this support.
Usdaw wants to reach out to members who are juggling their jobs with looking after someone and let them know:
- Usdaw understands the pressures they are under
- We know that changes to hours can make it really hard to juggle work and caring
- Carers can get help with problems like hours of work or needing time off to care
Please show your support for the campaign by signing up to our Thunderclap to raise awareness of carers’ rights and stand in solidarity with carers throughout the UK.
You can support the Thunderclap here.
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John Hannett is general secretary of Usdaw. He tweets at @JohnHannett