FAO: Fórsa members in HSE and HSE Funded Section 38 voluntary hospitals
 
Dear Member, 
 
We provided a short update on Sunday morning before we left the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in relation to the Pay and Numbers Dispute.

You can read the proposals here.

We are now following up with more detail on what the next steps will be.

 
It is important to note that prior to entering talks with HSE management, your Divisional Executive Committee (DEC) set out the basis of any potential resolution to this dispute that would be acceptable to Fórsa members. 
 
This included Fórsa members having a role in workforce planning, commitments against outsourcing, protections for direct employment, as well as processes to address the posts that were vacant on the 31st December 2023 and ongoing cover for maternity leave.

It was also important to the DEC that the system for recruiting already agreed and funded posts would be reviewed, as well as ensuring that current collective agreements would be honoured and not impeded by the Pay and Numbers Strategy. 
 
The proposals reached address all those points, though perhaps not as thoroughly as we had hoped. Having said that, all the elements identified as a potential resolution have been met.  We are clear that they are the best proposals achievable and that your representatives at the WRC left nothing behind in terms of the proposals. 
 
These proposals provide for extensive engagement locally at regional level, establishing a process in which management will collaborate to provide the unions with necessary information on current staff numbers, grades, areas, activity levels, and other relevant details.
 
These forums will be essential for ensuring compliance with the proposal. The proposals specify that a review of the full implementation will take place in six months under the auspices of the WRC. This review is crucial to safeguarding the various elements outlined in the document.
 
Next Steps:

• The first step is an emergency Divisional Council meeting today (Tuesday 1st April) where we will provide the context for the points included in the proposal. 
   
• Then, tomorrow (Wednesday 2nd April) the Divisional Executive Committee will consider the proposals at their April meeting. 
   
• After this it will be important that information meetings for members take place and we will work with our branches and staff team to ensure this happens over the coming weeks. 
   

Finally, we’d like to recognise that nothing set out in the proposals would have been achievable had it not been for the resilience of Fórsa members who were prepared to take industrial action on this issue. 
 
We’ll continue to provide updates to members after the meetings of the Divisional Council and Divisional Executive Committee later this week.  
 
Kind regards, 

                                                                 
Ashley Connolly                                                                              Linda Kelly   
Head of Division                                                                              National Secretary