Sinn Féin MLA calls for real living wage to transform Northern Ireland’s health & social care sector

North Antrim Sinn Féin MLA and Health Committee Chair Philip McGuigan, with represtatives at the Living Wage NI event

In a passionate address at a recent Living Wage NI event, Sinn Féin MLA and Health Committee Chair Philip McGuigan has underscored the urgent need for a real living wage to be implemented across Northern Ireland’s health and social care sector.

The North Antrim representative stressed that the “value and appreciation” for health and social care workers must be matched by fair pay and improved working conditions to bolster the sector and enhance patient outcomes.

Speaking at the event, which focused on integrating a living wage into Northern Ireland’s social care framework, McGuigan highlighted the transformative potential of fair compensation.

“The real living wage must be the bare minimum for all workers and Sinn Féin is committed to seeing this delivers across the island,” he declared.

This commitment is already evident in recent policy moves, with McGuigan noting that Finance Minister John O’Dowd has made the Civil Service a Living Wage employer as part of the latest pay agreement.

Additionally, former Finance Minister Conor Murphy ensured that firms securing government contracts are required to pay the living wage.

The push for a living wage is not merely about fairness, according to McGuigan, but also about addressing critical workforce challenges in the care sector.

“It was enlightening to attend the Living Wage NI event and discuss how a fair wage is not only crucial in recognising the value of health and care workers but also to attracting more people to the sector,” he said.

With the care sector facing recruitment and retention difficulties, McGuigan argued that competitive pay and career progression opportunities are essential to building a sustainable workforce.

McGuigan also called for swift action on Health Minister Mike Nesbitt’s commitment to eliminate minimum wage rates for care workers and establish the care sector as a Living Wage Sector.

“A real living wage, and career progression opportunities can only help bring more people into the care profession and encourage those currently employed to stay - benefiting our care workers and improving our health service and importantly patient outcomes,” he stated.

The benefits of implementing a living wage extend beyond the workers themselves, McGuigan emphasised.

“Paying the real Living Wage to our care workers is not just good for those workers, but for our economy, our health service and for society as a whole,” he said. A fairly paid workforce could reduce turnover, improve service quality, and contribute to economic stability by increasing workers’ spending power.

The call for a living wage comes amid growing recognition of the vital role health and social care workers play, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the pressures faced by the sector.

Northern Ireland’s health service has been grappling with staffing shortages, with many workers leaving for better-paid opportunities elsewhere or exiting the profession entirely. Advocates argue that a living wage could be a game-changer, helping to retain existing staff and attract new talent to meet the rising demand for care services.

Sinn Féin’s advocacy for fair pay aligns with broader efforts to reform Northern Ireland’s health and social care system. The party has consistently pushed for policies that prioritise workers’ rights and public services, with McGuigan’s remarks reflecting a commitment to systemic change.

The Living Wage NI event served as a platform to explore practical steps toward achieving this goal, bringing together policymakers, employers, and advocates to discuss the way forward.

As discussions continue, McGuigan’s message is clear: fair pay is not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity to strengthen Northern Ireland’s health service.

With the Health Minister’s pledge to end minimum wage rates in the care sector, there is hope that tangible progress is on the horizon. For now, the focus remains on translating commitments into action to ensure that health and social care workers receive the recognition—and remuneration—they deserve.