News Event Democracy and the Welfare State On the Corona Frontline: The Experiences of care workers in nine European countries On the Corona frontline Pelling, Lisa A report series on the impact the pandemic has had on elder care and the justified demands of the care workers’ trade unions. Bild: Fredrik Sandin Carlson | pertext, Berlin It is high time we listen now! Covid-19 has uncovered many societal fault lines. The virus hit the elder care sector in many countries especially hard, leading to many deaths and pushing care workers fighting on the corona frontline to the end of their limits. The pandemic has underscored the deficiencies in elder care that haven been warned about and protested by trade unions for years. Precarious working conditions, understaffing and underfunding devastatingly undermined the ability to protect the most vulnerable during the corona pandemic: our elderly. Reports from nine countries The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has on initiative of the Swedish municipal workers unions, Kommunal, and the Swedish progressive thinktank Arena Idé commissioned reports from several Europeans countries. By focusing on the plight of those in need of care and their care givers, the reports shed light on the impact of the pandemic has had on elder care and highlights the justified demands of the care workers’ trade unions as well as the long overdue reforms for the elder care sector in general. Download the German and Nordic published reports here: On the Corona Frontline - Summary report About this publication Across Europe, the coronavirus pandemic has hit the elderly hard, and particularly those in elder care, placing care workers on the corona frontline of an underfinanced, understaffed and undervalued care sector. Years of austerity policies and neoliberal new public management have increased the level of privatisation and precarisation, and decreased the rate of unionisation. This report summarises nine country studies on the effect of coronavirus on care workers in Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Sweden. The report concludes with policy recommendations. About the Author Lisa Pelling, PhD, is a Swedish political scientist and the head of the Stockholm-based independent progressive think tank Arena Idé. Publications for download: On the Corona Frontline - The experiences of care workers in nine European countries Stockholm, 2021 An der Corona-Front - Die Erfahrungen der Altenpflegekräfte in neun europäischen Ländern Stockholm, 2021 Download the report as ePub On the Corona Frontline - Denmark About this publication This paper looks at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elder care in Denmark and examines the response of the Danish trade union FOA. Danish elder care faces a wide range of problems, including time pressure and staff shortages. Yet the death toll among older people in Denmark has been low compared to many other countries. Nonetheless, by March 2021 we had sadly seen 923 deaths in care homes. The main issues for the trade unions have been providing immediate support to members, union branches, and shop stewards and helping them to understand changing guidelines. Negotiating with employers and government and helping to secure adequate workplace PPE have also been important. About the Author Charlotte Bredal, senior consultant, working environment Kasper Manniche, chief economist Amalie Dam-Hansen, consultant, health policy Publications for download: On the Corona Frontline -The experiences of care workers in Denmark Stockholm, 2021 An der Corona-Front : Die Erfahrungen der Altenpflegekräfte in Dänemark Stockholm, 2021 I Corona frontlinjen Erfaringer fra medarbejderne i ældreplejen - Danmark Stockholm, 2021 On the Corona Frontline - Finland About this publication Covid-19 began spreading more extensively in Finland in early March 2020. The health care sector quickly became overwhelmed, and the situation was exacerbated by the initial lack of clear guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment. Testing capacity was also limited. During the spring there were major outbreaks in several care homes. Elder care services were given clear guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) later than, for example, hospitals. The trade union JHL has demanded that employees who are exposed to the virus in their jobs be given a coronavirus pay raise. Despite the strained situation, social services and health care personnel have managed to cope, but a so-called ‘care debt’ has accumulated. About the Author Sari Bäcklund-Kajanmaa (MSSc) works as a special advisor at the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL in Finland. Publications for download: On the Corona Frontline-The experiences of care workers in Finland Stockholm, 2021 Koronan etulinjassa- Hoivahenkilöstön kokemuksia Suomessa Stockholm, 2021 An der Corona-Front- Die Erfahrungen von Altenpflegekräften in Finnland Stockholm, 2021 On the Corona Frontline - Germany About this publication The COVID-19 pandemic strongly affected the situation of care workers and clearly revealed the shortcomings of the elder care sector. Care service providers were not prepared for the pandemic, as symbolised not least by the lack of personal protective equipment. The general low staff levels, staff shortages due to infections and increasing care burdens have resulted in high additional workloads for care workers. The strength of the elder care system depends on the competence of the care workers, a relatively stable care workforce, and their team spirit. About the Author Hildegard Theobald is Professor for Organizational Gerontology at the University of Vechta, Germany. Her research focuses on international comparative research on elder care systems, elder care policies, migration, professionalisation of care work and the situation of care workers. Publications for download: On the Corona Frontline -The experiences of care workers in Germany Stockholm, 2021 Publications for download: An der Corona-Front : Die Erfahrungen der Altenpflegekräfte in Deutschland Stockholm, 2021 On the corona frontline - Norway About this publication Norwegian elder care was not properly prepared for an epidemic of the magnitude of Covid-19. It did not have the capacity, the training or the knowledge in place to handle it. In the first phase there was a lot of confusion and uncertainty. All in all the services adapted. When the second wave came, we were better prepared. About the Author Anne Mari Samskott is an advisor in the Division for Health and Social Servic-es at Fagforbundet. Samskott is a nurse and has a master’s degree in organisa-tion and management. Ingvar Skjerve is an advisor in the Divison for Health and Social Services at Fag-forbundet. Skjerve is a nurse and has a master’s degree in professional ethics and church-based social work (diakonia). Publications for download: On the Corona Frontline -The experiences of care workers in Norway Stockholm, 2021 An der Corona-Front : Die Erfahrungen der Altenpflegekräfte in Norwegen Stockholm, 2021 On the Corona Frontline - Sweden About this publication Swedish elder care was in crisis before the Covid-19 pandemic. The sector is underfunded, understaffed and the Swedish population is ageing. There is a shortage of trained care workers. Pandemic planning was inadequate. Although some improvements have been introduced in the course of the pandemic, municipalities and regions will need additional tax funding to finance growing care needs and improve the work environment. The elder care sector needs to be prioritized politically and to be given the opportunity to raise standards. This report discusses how the first wave of the pandemic hit the Swedish elder care sector. About the Author Mari Huupponen is a care expert and works at the Swedish Municipal Workers’ Union (Kommunal). Mari has a master’s degree in public health and medical management and a B.Soc.Sc. in political science. Kommunal is Sweden’s largest public sector union with more than 500,000 members. Publications for download: On the Corona Frontline-The experiences of care workers in Sweden Stockholm, 2021 An der Corona-Front : Die Erfahrungen der Altenpflegekräfte in Schweden Stockholm, 2021 Please visit our German and English project sites, to find all the published country reports. Authors and participating organizations: Summary report, Lisa Pelling, Arena Idé Denmark: Kasper Manniche, Amalie Dam-Hansen, Charlotte Bredal, FOA England: Gerry Mitchell, FES UK Finland: Sari Bäcklund-Kajanmaa, JHL Germany: Hildegard Theobald, Ver.Di, FES APB Norway: Anne-Mari Samskott, Ingvar Skjerve, Fagforbundet Portugal: Ana Catarina Fontes, FES Portugal Scotland: Dave Watson, FES UK Spain: Jorge Hernández-Moreno and Manuel Pereira-Puga, IPP-CSIC, FES Madrid and Fundación Alternativas Sweden: Mari Huupponen, Kommunal "On the corona frontline" is a cooperation with the Swedish Municipal Workers’ Union Kommunal and the progressive think tank Arena Idé. For more information contact: Josefin Fürst (josefin.furst(at)fes.de).
