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LAST UPDATE | 25 Sep 2023
UP TO 5,000 health and community workers, employed in community and voluntary sector agencies funded by the HSE and other state agencies, have voted to strike “indefinitely” on 17 October.
A number of unions representing the workers said that the sector is facing a “crisis” in staff recruitment and retention and is asking for equal pay and funding to save the sector.
In its ‘Pay Equality to Save Services’ campaign, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Fórsa and Siptu said the sector is facing a “crisis” in staff recruitment and retention.
Workers in the following employments will take indefinite strike action from 17 October:
Recent research conducted by unions found that the retention and recruitment has become a “major challenge” in the sector which is paired with a continued lack of pay increases.
Speaking to the press today, ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy said the decision for the indefinite strike action came as an “inevitable consequence of the failure of the Government to address a serious and growing problem with how the agencies are funded, and a recruitment and retention crisis in vital services”.
Reidy said there should be a “unambiguous and clear commitment” that equal pay be restored to the workers with “no ifs or buts”.
He added that a “very clear” roadmap to equality should be implemented and that ensuring that a situation like this does not arise again.
A representative for the IMNO, who had to arrive at the press conference on late notice due to staffing issues, said “Section 39 workers” – voluntary, not-for-profit employees in healthcare – have “undergone the same same rigorous training and education as our counterparts in Section 38 (HSE workers)”.
“Yes, despite these similarities, there exists a glaring disparity in the way we are treated compared to those in Section 38, or HSE workers,” the representative said.
We work under the same condition, faced the same challenges and shoulder the same responsibility. So the question that begs to be asked is, why are we treated differently?”
The INMO believe the group of workers are not afforded the same recognition and benefits as those who work within the HSE and are asking to be treated with equality.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for equal treatment,” the spokeswoman added.
“Section 39″ agencies, who are funded under Section 39 of the Health Act, 2004, provide a range of residential and day services for people with disabilities, mental health, addiction, domestic and sexual violence services, and other supports, under service level agreements with the HSE.
Until 2008, workers in these agencies received pay increases under national wage agreements. At the onset of the financial crisis, they were subject to pay cuts in line with the same cuts applied to public sector pay.
Limited pay restoration measures were eventually won by unions in 2019 but pay in these agencies remains significantly behind, and no formal mechanism for collective pay bargaining exists for workers in the sector.
Reidy said the Union groups want to see a successor to current public service pay agreements and promises that future agreements will continue to apply equal pay for all.
Reidy said that there was an “urgency” to get a resolution and the issue cannot be solved with the provision of “three fifths of what you’re looking for”.
A time for a bandaid over the injury is long over.”
Helen Power, a Section 39 worker and a member of Siptu said that while she “loves” her job, she finds it “disrespectful” that the voluntary sector workers are not paid the on same terms as the public sector.
“I do the same work as the section 38 organisation – there’s no difference. My passion as a section 38 organisation,” Power told reporters today.
“I was here in 2018 for the restoration of pay, and I walked the streets for to get fairness for my work colleagues and fairness for what we deserve.
“I can clearly state categorically now, and anyone can document it, I won’t be going away until I get pay clarity restored,” she added.
Social Democrats TD Róisín Shorthall, who was present at the meeting, gave her support to the strikes on behalf of her party.
“I appreciate that you’re embarking on this course of action very reluctantly and it is about utter frustration. You’ve been making this case for several years and unfortunately the case has fallen on deaf ears,” Shorthall said.
Shorthall said given the increase on the number of people on waiting lists, she appreciates that the unions will continue to provide emergency cover in the Section 39 organisations.
In a statement this afternoon, the Labour Party’s spokesperson for health Duncan Smith said the ballot result should come as “no surprise” to the government as the workers are “at the absolute end of their tether”.
Smith said: “The blame for this lies firmly at the feet of this Government.”
“What’s needed now is progress and action to improve pay and conditions – for workers in the sector but also to future proof recruitment and retention of workers who care for us all,” he added.
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Our daughter uses enable Ireland for services. Covid was one issue but the recent reconfiguration of services has massively increased the workload of OT specialists, Phyiso etc. Making very hard to retain staff, especially has better terms and conditions can be had elsewhere. Leading to delays in services. They deserve to be treated equally
I support the strike action
@Diarmuid Dorney: As one of the employees affected, thank you. This means a lot. It’s not something we want to put responsibility on for service users but we are in a bind. If we continue on the wage trajectory that the govt has in mind for us, the services in question will crumble. We have been treading water for so long that it has become the expectation that we can keep going The cost of living is now too high.
As a user of support services, i support this actiin wghich I know is not taken easily. All the section 39 groups lost stff to the HSe and others due to this problem. WHich the government itself created. Insisting the staff had to drop wages in line with the HSE staff but refused to fund the services to bring the staffs wages back to where they were.
This is the tip of the scandle of funding in the diability community fro the Department of Health and the HSE.
Support them, I will join them on the picket line!
So, let me get this straight. You set up a charity that has a certain amount of voluntary input. You provide a service. Realise your not get paid the same as health service. Go on strike and the people who are affected are the people you initially wanted to help. All a bit Irish isn’t it?
@If you’re: a fair point you make there. Did the HSE set these organizations up or ask someone to set them up? I would say many are doing good work but I wonder how efficient they are, do they all provide value for money and is there much duplication in this sector.
@If you’re: the problem is that the government is outsourcing all the work to charities / voluntary sector because it’s more cost effective. Which means the staff are overloaded and burnt out. Staff in state agencies have much better conditions and pensions etc. While staff in charities are just as if not more qualified and experienced and have triple the workload because state agencies are inept.
@If you’re: The problem is that these people aren’t a multi-national corporation, Shame.
@If you’re: Wrong, they are providing a service out side of the charity side of the group that the HSE would provide otherwise. They are service providers to the HSE.
The pay was the same and then the austerity cuts hit. HSE insisted they all take the same hit. The groups agreed and did so. When the pay cuts were reversed the HSE did not provide the funding to do so for the Section 39 groups.
They insisted they took the pay cut now reguse to level back up.
@Nodon: The groups provide services for the HSE and are far better at it than the HSE could ever be. I know this from experience, a very harsh experience.
Section 39 groups do so much more than the funding they are giveen. Ther is no duplication in the sector because there is so much of it left uncovered.
The disability community are always thge forst to get cut and the fast to get back on level terms.
I knopw this from the lived experience.
Generations of Irish people voted out of fear and greed and the people they elected have ruined the country.
@Chris O’Brien: A lot of this is civil service shananagans. Dept of Fiance, Health and Social Protection. The 3 Ugly Sisters of the Civil Service!
Don’t blame them,country falling apart.
The poor services users stuck in the middle of this, what happens to them during this indefinite strike.
@Dramafree 2023: they or their families put pressure on the government to act and pay the section 39 workers the same as other health care workers.
@Alan H: Yes alan because the parents/siblings or children of the people who need these services have nothing else for doing. Seriously it is not the fault of the families that people have accepted terms and conditions inferior to those employed in section 38 or directly throu the HSE. If people stop taking the jobs…the conditions will improve.
@Dramafree 2023: Their wages were cut and not brought back to where they were.
The job losses are not easily replaced, these people are experts with years of experience and a certain type of mind set.
You cannot walk in off the street and do it.
I know this as my support service has saved me on more than one occasion.
Actualy the paymaster of the whole sector is the HSE so they control the finances of the groups. They decide what to pay for the services.
It is a crazy system and the people suffering are the staff and the clients.
The clients will be the last to feel anything as the staff go beyond the pale to look after us.
I would join any picket right now in support of this action.
FOrced on these great people by the HSE and Dept of Health and Dept of Fianance.
@Dramafree 2023: We joined a voluntary organisation linked to public sector pay, we were section 38 but when Tusla were set up they made us section 56. We took the fempi cuts in 2008 and then Haddington Road agreement. However when others got restored their pay we did not. So no increase since 2007. Staff leaving our organisation to work in section 38 with better pay and conditions. We are committed to our client group but we are also affected by cost of living. We are very committed staff. We would prefer not to strike in the union 30yrs and never gone on strike. The govt and Dept of expenditure need to resolve this. Voluntaries are set up to help our communities on behave of govt. there are private organisations providing services for profit. They are making a lot of money. So sad. ✊
@Dramafree 2023: the conditions won’t improve with no staff…just burn out who is left and an inferior service with inexperienced short term workers will replace it.
@Dramafree 2023: everybody I have spoked to who is a service user or family member support the workers and the management in this fight against the HSE and the bean counters
12 years working in the sector and increase my hours rate 20 cent
And I have a lots responsibility
So what happen with all this user in the strike?? We have human responsibility and values but think in us as well
These charities take money from the public in fundraising yet wish to pay themselves the gold plated defined benefit pensions. Their donors working in the private sector or self-employed do not have this rare privilege.
@Pat Redmond: such a rare privilege that they can’t get the staff in, why don’t people like you actually engage your brain before talking?
@Martin Mongan: there is a staff shortage in teaching where they get a good salary and defined benefit pensions, and still they can’t get the staff. Affordable accommodation is the core issue for all workers.
@Pat Redmond: That was a long time ago and the staff are on civil service rates and all their accounts are visible on line. We also have the stribgest Charity Regulator in the world and they take no prisioners.
You are years behind the times.
@Pat Redmond: The core issue was pointed out in the article.
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