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Building Momentum pay boost for members
SIPTU Health members covered by the public service agreement will receive a 1% pay increase, or €500 a year increase in wages, whichever is the greater, from today (Friday, 1st October). The deal was negotiated under Building Momentum, a deal negotiated by SIPTU and other public service unions.
This means that all health workers on lower incomes will receive a significantly larger percentage increase than higher paid staff.
Substantial protective provisions were also copper fastened by Building Momentum and with the uncertainty arising from the pandemic, these measures are needed now more than ever. Overtime rates and twilight shift premiums were also restored while a mechanism has been secured to deal with the additional unpaid hours worked by our members.
A sectoral bargaining fund, initially worth 1% of basic pensionable pay during the lifetime of the agreement, to deal with outstanding adjudications, recommendations, awards and claims has also been established. This part of the agreement is being negotiated by Sectoral Bargaining Units.
We expect this process to begin shortly and any payments arising are due from 1st February 2022. Negotiations for a new public service agreement are set to start around summer 2022.
The next full instalment of this deal, which was overwhelmingly backed by SIPTU members, will see a further 1% adjustment in October 2022.
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Health unions call for “immediate” talks after Labour Court recommendation on COVID-19 compensation
Unions representing healthcare workers have called for immediate talks with the HSE on recognition for healthcare worker’s efforts during the COVID-19 crisis, following a Labour Court recommendation today.
SIPTU, Fórsa, and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation had raised the issue at the Labour Court, which today called on all parties to begin “effective engagement” to resolve the matter.
Unions are seeking some form of tangible recognition for healthcare workers’ contribution to the fight against COVID-19. In other countries across Europe, this has taken the form of additional pay, annual leave or a bonus.
Tony Fitzpatrick, Chair of the Staff Panel of trade unions in the health sector, said:
“We welcome the Labour Court recommendation today. Unions have consistently sought meaningful meetings with the HSE on this issue.
“The Court recognised the ‘extraordinary efforts of health workers throughout the pandemic’. They have called on all parties to ‘make every effort possible’ to begin ‘effective engagement’ to ‘achieve clarity…at the earliest possible opportunity’.
“Trade unions are available to meet immediately to do exactly that. This is a simple matter of justice for our members. They have made incredible sacrifices and taken huge risks throughout the pandemic. It is time for the HSE and government to recognise their efforts meaningfully, as has been done in other countries across Europe.”
The national staff panel of health care workers unions represents members of the INMO, SIPTU, Fórsa, IMO, MLSA, UNITE, CONNECT, and the craft group of unions.
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Labour Court hearing on health workers’ claim for recognition of their work during Covid-19 pandemic
A Labour Court hearing on the row over recognition for health workers’ efforts and commitment during the Covid-19 pandemic takes place later today (Monday, 13thSeptember). Trade unions representing health workers referred the case to the Labour Court following a July meeting in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), when the HSE said it had no mandate from the Government to make proposals to recognise health workers’ contribution.
The unions, led by Fórsa, the INMO and SIPTU, subsequently asked An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin to intervene amid growing frustration among health staff.
Tony Fitzpatrick, INMO Director of Industrial Relations said: “Health workers welcomed comments by An Taoiseach and other senior Government figures, who have gone on record to support the proposal that their efforts during the pandemic should be recognised. So they were incredulous that the HSE claimed it had no mandate to engage on the issue. That’s why we’ve had to take our case to the Labour Court.”
Fórsa’s Head of Health & Welfare, Éamonn Donnelly, said: “This has become deeply damaging to the morale of health care workers who, without exception, have demonstrated extraordinary commitment in their response to public need since the pandemic struck in February 2021. It’s demoralising that we’ve ended up in the Labour Court when there is broad public and political consensus on the issue.”
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “The Republic is out of step with Northern Ireland, the UK, and most EU countries, where health workers have already seen recognition of their extraordinary efforts and contribution. Over 30,000 health care workers have been infected with Covid-19 since the pandemic struck in Ireland.”
The case before the Labour Court today is in the name of the National Staff Panel of health unions, which represents members of the INMO, SIPTU, Fórsa, IMO, MLSA, UNITE, CONNECT, and the craft group of unions.
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Sláintecare Needs “Urgent Recommitment” say Health Unions
Ireland’s major health unions today (Thursday, 9th September) called for an “urgent recommitment” to the Sláintecare health reform programme, following the resignation of two senior officials associated with the project.
Professor Tom Keane (Chairperson) and Dr. Laura Magahy (Executive Director) both stepped down from their positions with the programme. In his resignation letter, Prof. Keane said that the requirements for implementing Sláintecare were “seriously lacking”.
Members of the the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Health Sector Group, including the INMO, SIPTU and Forsa, who represent workers across the health sector, have now jointly called for:
- The Oireachtas Health Committee to be reconvened to look into the resignations;
- The Minister for Health to clearly renew his commitment to the Sláintecare project;
- A commitment to transition funding for Sláintecare in the upcoming budget;
- A return to the original principles of the Sláintecare plan, including basing the project office in the Department of the Taoiseach and the creation of regional authorities.
Congress Health Sector Group Coordinator, Macdara Doyle said:
“The resignations of Sláintecare’s most senior official are deeply worrying. COVID has further exposed the weakness of a two-tier health service. Now is the time to redouble our efforts on healthcare reforms, not fall back.
“The resignations should serve as a wakeup call for the political system. Sláintecare has cross-party support – it is well beyond time that it becomes a reality.
“The Oireachtas Health Committee needs to meet on this matter urgently. The Minister for Health needs to make a clear commitment to the plan and this has to be backed up by firm commitments from his colleagues in government.”
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Have your say! Respect=Recognition for Health Workers Survey
SIPTU representatives, along with other health unions, are working together to win recognition for the effort and commitment shown by health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic as part of their ‘Respect = Recognition’ campaign.
We are asking members to support the campaign by completing a short survey which will help strengthen the case we are putting to the Government and Labour Court.
A Labour Court hearing is expected to bring the parties together on Monday, 13th September. The court hearing comes after HSE representatives failed to table an offer at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in early August.
Health workers in Northern Ireland, France, Denmark and elsewhere have been offered some form of tangible recognition for their work during the pandemic crisis. We believe that similar recognition should be afforded to our frontline heroes in health.
We will keep you informed of any updates on our hearing at the Labour Court and we thank you for your continued support and efforts.
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Unions seek Taoiseach’s intervention on health workers’ Covid recognition
Trade unions representing health workers have asked Micheál Martin to help resolve the row over recognition for health workers’ efforts and commitment during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a letter sent last Friday (13th August), they called on the Taoiseach to “intervene immediately to authorise the HSE and relevant Government departments to engage with health service unions to agree and implement the promised recognition without any further delay.”
The move reflects growing frustration among health workers, which was compounded by the HSE’s failure to put forward any proposals at a recent Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) hearing. Instead, the HSE said it was awaiting Government authorisation to engage with the unions.
Tony Fitzpatrick, who chairs the ‘Staff Panel’ of health service unions, said engagements with the HSE since last November had resulted in no progress despite public statements from An Taoiseach, health minister Stephen Donnelly and other senior Government figures, in which they supported proposals to recognise health workers’ extraordinary contribution during the pandemic.
Mr Fitzpatrick wrote: “While health workers appreciate the many supportive statements from you and other Government representatives, they have yet to see any tangible progress towards recognition for their efforts and, in many cases, sacrifice.
“Thousands of dedicated health care workers have had their reasonable expectations raised by the welcome public statements of support by you and other politicians. But they are incredulous at reports that no recognition was offered at the August WRC meeting, and at the news that their unions must now argue their case – seemingly uncontested by the most senior members of Government and health service management – before the Labour Court.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said the impasse was “deeply damaging to the morale of all health care workers who, without exception, have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and willingness to respond to national and public need, as well as Government demands in response to the pandemic.”
The unions have referred the dispute to the Labour Court, but say this should not be necessary as there is broad public and political consensus on the issue. “It can only be described as an extraordinary situation,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.
The unions say the Government’s failure to act has put the Republic out of step with Northern Ireland, the UK, and most EU countries, where health workers have already seen recognition of their extraordinary efforts and contribution.
They also point to research that shows staff who work directly with Covid-19 patients are 47 times more likely to catch the virus than those impacted through community-acquired infection. “Over 30,000 health care workers have been infected with Covid-19 since the pandemic struck in Ireland, and more than 600 have been infected in the most recent 14-day epidemiological report,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.
The national staff panel of health care workers unions represents members of the INMO, SIPTU, Fórsa, IMO, MLSA, UNITE, CONNECT, and the craft group of unions.
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SIPTU says increasing pay not work permits will solve Health Care Assistants shortage
SIPTU representatives have called for a review of the rates of pay and the duties of Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in response to a shortage of staff in the sector, rather than seeking to recruit workers from outside the European Economic Area to fulfil these roles.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Marie Butler, said: “SIPTU representatives are surprised by the call by the employers’ group, Home and Community Care Ireland, that the Government should provide work permits for workers from outside the European Economic Area so they can be employed as HCAs.
“We have already written to the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English, earlier this year on this issue. In this correspondence we highlighted that there are more than 47,500 people with the relevant qualification, at QQ1 Level 5, to be employed as HCAs. It is clear that large numbers of these qualified professionals are not working as HCAs and have instead sought alternative employment.
“This is due to the unsatisfactory working conditions which are still prevalent within the sector, in both residential facilities and home care settings. These poor conditions include low rates of pay, the use of minimum hour contracts and pressures resulting from a lack of staff. In the private home care sector we are aware of HCAs who are paid the minimum wage and are not reimbursed for their fuel costs or the time spent travelling between clients’ homes.
“What is needed to rectify this situation is a review of the conditions for workers in the sector and agreed improvements rather than seeking workers from outside the European Economic Area or, which has also been mooted, some form of bogus ‘self-employment ‘where clients would dial in for home care services.
“In order to begin the process of developing a sustainable and professional sector, SIPTU has proposed to the Minister that the Labour Employer Economic Forum establish a subgroup involving all stakeholders, including unions and employers, to discuss the issues that have resulted in a shortage of HCAs. This group should then formulate a series of agreed measures to address the problem including establishing adequate rates of pay throughout the sector.”
She added: “Ireland stands at a crossroads in relation to the care of our elderly and other vulnerable people. We can have a sector staffed by workers in precarious, low paid employment which undoubtedly impacts on the standard of services. Alternatively, we can work together to develop a strategic approach that sees us develop a professional HCA role in both residential services and in the community.
“This would create a sector which attracts qualified professionals eager to participate in a rewarding occupation providing the highest quality of services.”
SIPTU representatives are awaiting a response from the Minister concerning their proposals.
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Health unions slam HSE’s “empty handed” approach to healthcare worker COVID compensation
Health service unions, including SIPTU, have strongly criticised the HSE for a lack of “tangible recognition” for healthcare workers’ role in the fight against COVID.
Talks were held at the Workplace Relations Commission on Thursday 5th August, but HSE representatives had no offer to make.
This was despite comments by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly last week in Limerick, where he said that he “definitely want[s] to see some form of recognition for the extraordinary work that they’ve all put in.”
Unions had sought some form of special recognition for healthcare staff, dating back to late 2020. Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have previously indicated that they would support some recognition.
Health service employers in France, Northern Ireland, Denmark and elsewhere have offered staff bonuses or pay increases in recognition of their work and sacrifices over the past year.
The unions have referred the matter to the Labour Court.
Tony Fitzpatrick, chair of the ICTU Staff Panel of Health Unions said:
“This is yet another disappointment in the long search for fair recognition. Last week the Minister for Health raised expectations that some tangible recognition was on the way, but today he sent his officials to talks empty handed.
“Healthcare workers have spearheaded the fight against the pandemic. They have worked far beyond their normal responsibilities, with thousands catching the virus in the line of duty.
“Morale in the health service is extremely low. There needs to be some hope of genuine reward for frontline staff. Other governments have recognised their healthcare workforce’s contribution meaningfully – yet here we are forced to fight for it.
“The health unions have collectively decided to refer the matter to the Labour Court.”
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SIPTU members in St Brigid’s vote overwhelmingly for strike action
SIPTU members working as care assistants and social care workers in St Brigid’s Mental Health Intellectual Disability services in Ballinasloe, county Galway, have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action up to and including strike action.
SIPTU Organiser, Yvonne McGrath, said: “The actions taken by HSE West in privatising our members’ work roles has shown a total lack of regard for their staff. This vote has demonstrated that our members will not be found wanting in responding to actions of the HSE. It has made this move at a time when workers in intellectual disability services have been working above and beyond their duties in caring for service users who have been at their most vulnerable during the pandemic.”
She added: “The actions taken by HSE West are in breach of agreements, which apply not just to this facility but throughout the public service. Our members are simply calling for the HSE to abide by its agreements, engages in meaningful consultation and desist from the outsourcing of our members’ work.”
SIPTU member in St Brigid’s, Susan Delaney, said: “We are delighted with the high turnout of members to participate in this ballot together with the overwhelming result. The actions of management have been taken with total disregard for workers on the ground. Over years of working with service users, we have built up strong and supportive relationships with them. They know us, trust us and rely on us. The staff will continue to deliver excellent service, working to an extremely high standard, which management by their actions appears to have called into question.”
SIPTU NEC member and St Brigid’s staff, Seamus Dillon said: “Management at St Brigid’s seems to be answerable to no one. In my opinion, their actions seriously damage the credibility of the HSE. If they are allowed to totally disregard the public service agreement and don’t take any action to reverse their decision, they are in danger of bringing the HSE into disrepute.”