Healthcare workers strike called off

A planned strike due to start this morning by health and social care workers in the community and voluntary sector has been called off.

This is after talks between unions and Government representatives at the Workplace Relations Commission ended at around 3am this morning with an agreement on pay.

Among the proposals is an offer from the Government of an 8% increase in funding for pay.

The increase will come in three phases backdated to April of this year and will run until March of next year.

Union officials have agreed to defer today’s proposed industrial action pending the outcome of a members’ ballot and there will be reengagement between the parties in December.

Section 39 workers carry out work in the healthcare and community sectors.

Speaking to Northside People last week, a Section 39 worker named Jacqueline said her salary has not increased in her 16 and a half years of service.

“We have gone on our knees to Minister Donnelly asking him to resolve it, but we got no response. We had to fight tooth and nail with his department to even get the Covid-19 bonus payment.” 

Jacqueline, Thrésé and their colleagues had planned to stage a protest outside the Civic Centre in Ballymun today.

“We have done the same work as public workers, but are not seeing any of the same benefits,” she told Northside People last Friday.

“We worked through the pandemic like everyone else, but we were barely acknowledged.

“We had to fight to get that frontline workers bonus.”

She said that workers are only paid 13 cents per mileage, and are paid 9.5% lower than workers in the public sector.

Jacqueline’s colleague Thrésé claimed that “we are doing the work that nurses should be doing.”

“We make house calls, carry clients to their bathrooms, shower them, empty and replace their colostomy bags, but we get none of the benefits that nurses do.”

Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) has expressed relief as Union officials agreed to defer today’s proposed industrial action pending the outcome of a members’ ballot.

Union officials have agreed to bring an offer of an 8% pay increase for IWA employees and the wider Section 39 employees alongside a commitment to continue meaningful talks for re-linking the pay rates with that of their HSE counterparts to their members.

However, Irish Wheelchair Association has slammed the government “for allowing widespread disruption, fear, and angst to spread across their community stating that it could have been completely avoided. It is heartbreaking to witness the unnecessary challenges faced by their service users and employees as a result of this ordeal.”

Speaking from the Irish Wheelchair Association Community Centre in Clontarf, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Chris Hoey, expressed his relief and gratitude:

“There is immense relief amongst our community today, and we are grateful for the increased offer put forward by the Unions to our employees. It is crucial that the re-linking of pay salaries is established to ensure security in the sector and prevent workers from seeking higher pay rates elsewhere.

“It is truly regrettable that our people, including service users and employees, were pushed to the brink before these talks even began.

“The stress imposed on families across the country cannot be reversed.

“This treatment by the Government continues to demonstrate the undervaluation of people with disabilities.

“We will tirelessly work to reverse the impact of the proposed strike action, although some effects cannot be instantaneously reversed.

“This is not good enough.

“We would like to express sincere thanks to our employees and service users for their unwavering support and to those who bravely shared their stories with the public.”