Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 6 Jul 2022
PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE Department of Social Protection offices in Dublin and Waterford to call for an increase in pay for care and community workers for the first time in more than 10 years.
A third protest was held in Eyre Square in Galway city, as part of a 24-hour work stoppage.
The Siptu industrial action was held from noon today and represents the second day of strike action in a long-running dispute over pay.
Yesterday, a one-day stoppage by Irish Wheelchair Association workers across the country was held as part of a Valuing Community campaign backed by Siptu, Forsa, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Siptu said the Government has claimed it does not have a role to play in resolving the dispute, as it does not directly employ these workers, which “is untenable and stands in stark contrast” to how community workers’ pay was linked to public sector workers before 2008.
Bernie Donnelly, a community employment supervisor in Finglas, Dublin, who runs a meals-on-wheels programme, told the PA news agency that the last pay increase she received was in 2008.
“Through it all we have seen the participants every year receive their social welfare payment increase, which would average at around five euro each year and we have received nothing.
“So in that time we have lost, you could say the equivalent of 75 euro.
“I would say to the Government for a start – these community employment programmes, people working in the community, are saving the Government a fortune.
“We save the HSE thousands upon thousands of euro every year providing meals services in the community.
“If they had to pay the going rate for that, it would cost them a hell of a lot more than is being handed out now. So what we want to see is fairness.
“We want to be paid for the job that we’re doing. We want to get the recognition for the job that we’re doing. And we really ask no more than that.”
Siptu public administration and community division organiser Adrian Kane said “our members employed by the Irish Wheelchair Association held a one-day work stoppage”.
“This was very successful in highlighting the demand for pay justice for care and community sector workers.
“On pickets across the country, our members were overwhelmed by the strong support shown by the public for the strike, with many welcoming the fact the workers were standing up for pay justice in the midst of the worsening cost-of-living crisis.”
He said that workers’ demands were simple: “For the Government to engage with these workers and their union representatives to discuss funding so they can have their first pay rise in 14 years.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
IWA .. The CEO’s 2019 salary of €136,496 was up from €130,704 in 2018 and had a €12,000 car allowance added in 2019. 24 staff earned more than €60,000 with two above €100,000 in an organisation which reported an income of €61.3million in 2019.Feb 1, 2021 … and they have approx €15million in reserves … I’d be looking closer to home for the pay rise .. execs well able to look after themselves by the looks of it.
@Bri Lyons: you do realise reserves are a part of standard business practice as a buffer to prevent you going into administration/ bankruptcy… ? As for ceo salary , here we go again…
@Bri Lyons: That would be considered low for a CEO salary. The average pay for a CEO is €231,346 a year. The average salary range for a CEO is between €140,545 and €389,384. As for the other salary, you would be quick to complain if their salary was low but as they pay their staff well, you’re complaining about it.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Bri is a great woman for always thinking that top management should work for pittance, and be glad with it
@Ian McDonald: never said anyone should work for a pittance… pointed out that ceo has received pay rises (while staff haven’t)
@Bri Lyons: see your comment below “Mo Flynn has no plans to reduce her €140,000 salary “
Fair play to the workers, completely under paid and appreciated. They deserve to be paid a good wage
@Seán Hogan: how much are they paid?
@Ian McDonald: A lot of community care workers are employed through agencies on zero hour contracts of between €12-€14 ph weekdays and don’t get paid travel time between different clients and the mileage allowance is either non existent or a complete pittance.
@Ian CE Supervisors are one of the groupings striking today – they haven’t had a pay increase since 2008. An assistant Supervisors pay starts at 420.50 Gross per week. There are 4 points on the payscale. The Supervisors start at €470 Gross – if there is no training mandate for participants- €530 Gross if training is part of the scheme agreement with Department of Social Protection (the norm) there are four further points on the payscale. Most schemes turnover 500k + of public purse. The Supervisors have responsibility for all this turnover, generally 30+ participants, dealing with long term unemployed, sourcing training, dealing with a lot of Social issues, advocating on their behalf, ensuring health and safety, HR and all accounting and payroll.
The pay and responsibility don’t match.
@Conor Mahon: Regina Doherty reckons
Over 75% of CE supervisors are on point 4 which equates to an average cost of €40,309 annually or a weekly rate of €772.50.
@O’connor Joanne: Genuinely don’t know the figure, but as the ex Minister for Social Protection I’m sure it’s correct.
€772 equates to €614 net. CE Supervisors are the only workers excluded from fixed term contract legislation and only get 1 year rolling contracts that can be pulled at any point by DSP or Community Organisations who employ them. They were benchmarked by the Labour Court to Community Workshop Managers owing to the similarities between the roles. Have a look at the disparity when 14 years of increments have been not paid .
Micheál Martin says we don’t have money to give them a pay rise but the money is available to join NATO. Remember there’s no magic money tree.
Rehab chief Mo Flynn has no plans to reduce her €140,000 salary, saying it is compares favourably to “other public sector charity jobs”. Irish Independent
@Bri Lyons: …..and she could earn a lot more in a similar role in the private sector, but hasn’t moved. How much do you expect her to work for, and stay in that job?
have your say