Fórsa served notice of industrial action on public health employers Wednesday 9th September, as preparations for action in the dispute over public service pay continue.
Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division represents 32,000 members working in public health services.
The union’s head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the ballot result represents a decisive mandate from members and reflects growing frustration at the absence of a credible public service pay offer following the expiry of the previous agreement: “Our members provide vital public services every day. Serving notice of industrial action marks the beginning of a planned and proportionate escalation by public service workers who have made clear that the Government’s current position on pay is not sustainable,” she said.
Formal notice indicating industrial action will begin on Wednesday 30th September was issued to employers in the health sector, including the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations.
While the Industrial Relations Act requires one week’s notice of industrial action, the established convention in health services is to serve three weeks’ notice. The union said the additional notice period reflects the essential nature of health services and allows employers to make appropriate contingency arrangements.
The notice sets out a range of initial, targeted actions to be taken by Fórsa members employed by the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations. These include:
- Working strictly to contract, role and grade, including refusing duties assigned to another grade
- Refusing overtime or work outside agreed contracted hours
- Withdrawing cooperation from HSE and Tusla restructuring and implementation processes
- Refusing to cover duties attached to vacant or unfilled posts
- Refusing to complete national financial, data and performance reports
- Refusing engagement with external private management consultants
- Refusing cooperation with proposals to extend working patterns across a seven-day roster
More than 62,000 Fórsa members voted for industrial action. The result, announced two weeks ago, showed 96.6% of members voting in favour of industrial action, up to and including a full withdrawal of labour, on a turnout of 72.6%.
Fórsa national secretary Ryan McKinney added: “Fórsa members have voted overwhelmingly to act because Government has failed to engage seriously on an approach to pay that addresses the pressures faced by public service workers. They did not take the decision to engage in industrial action lightly. They expressed themselves very clearly in the ballot.
“Members are now preparing for industrial action to make sure their voice is heard loud and clear.”
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