Staff at Sage Nursing Home in Golders Green started on a three-day strike this morning, demanding higher wages and NHS-equivalent annual leave.

The 30-or-so workers on the virtual picket line include cleaners, carers and maintenance staff represented by the union United Voices of the World (UVW).

According to UVW representative Molly de Dios, the employees are paid between £8.72 an hour for domestic staff and £9.60 for some care workers. They are demanding an increase to £12.

 “It’s just not acceptable to be paying carers and domestics in these times poverty wages,” she alleged.

A statement issued by Sage representatives claimed the home is currently has a monthly operating loss of £10,000.“Given its charitable objectives, it is disappointing that United Voices of the World has chosen to focus a campaign against a small Jewish charitable home and not the many other commercial, care homes who pay similar rates.

“Sage benchmarks its rates of pay against the care home sector both locally and nationally and believes it is in line with comparable care homes. Like many in the care sector, Sage is battling with the consequences of Covid19 - severe operational challenges, increased costs and the tragic loss of a third of its residents [and hence also a substantial loss of income].

The wage demands could, if implemented, “lead to the closure of the care home”.

With a total workforce of about 100, residents will still be able to receive necessary care during the three days of industrial action, Sage maintains. 

“We have sufficient cover, and we have contingency plans in place.”