Following the publication of the HSE’s review of pay in Section 39 agencies – which found that average pay for Section 39 staff was cut by 4.6% after the economic crash – Fórsa said a coordinated approach by trade unions is the key to achieving pay restoration in the sector.
The review looked at pay in a group of 50 agencies, and was published early this week.
Addressing delegates at the union’s national conference today (Thursday 17th May), head of division Eamonn Donnelly told delegates that the campaign to restore pay in Section 39 agencies was essential.
“These are workers who were treated as public servants for the purpose of a pay cut, but are denied the pay restoration measures that we’ve secured for public servants.
We’re looking, in the first instance, at those agencies who have the capacity, and adequate funding streams, to deliver pay restoration. That’s where it starts, and will allow us then to establish a model that can be rolled out across the other agencies.
“We are taking a coordinated approach with other unions representing workers in this sector in order to secure pay restoration,” he said.
Eamonn was addressing conference motions, brought by the Dublin Care Services and Tipperary North Health & Community branches, calling on the union to secure pay restoration in Section 39 agencies. He said the union group will meet next Tuesday (22nd May) to discuss the findings of the review and prepare its response.
Eamonn told delegates “We’re looking, in the first instance, at those agencies who have the capacity, and adequate funding streams, to deliver pay restoration. That’s where it starts, and will allow us then to establish a model that can be rolled out across the other agencies.”
Eamonn said that the union’s national executive has given its sanction to undertake industrial action in the sector if it becomes necessary. “It may require an industrial action in order to achieve what we’re looking for. In that instance, we would target the more robustly funded agencies,” he said.