14 June (Part 1) - You read it here first
Bexley
council is content to allow its care workers to be paid less than the
minimum wage. It turns a blind eye to staff not being paid for travelling
between jobs. It is illegal but when did the law ever stop Bexley council?
It was reported here in some detail in April and the man to blame is councillor Chris Taylor.
Yesterday afternoon
The Guardian newspaper covered the same ground. It has quoted HMRC who
confirm that the payment practice does not “cover the working period from a national
minimum wage point of view”. So Bexley council is implicated in yet another criminal act.
From observing care facilities provided to a disabled friend I noted that most
visiting carers stayed for just a minute or two over a multiple of 15
minutes and then left in a great hurry. They conceded that they are paid in 15
minute segments or part thereof so a 31 minute session provides 14 minutes of
paid travelling time. When your working conditions are so appalling, working the
system is the only way to survive. Chris Taylor was paid £22,309 last year for
master-minding Bexley’s illegal scheme which is at least 50% more than the most
industrious care worker can expect to receive. He works just a few voluntary hours a week