It’s relatively quiet at this end of December so, in a break with tradition, we’re bringing you a single news round-up in this issue of the publication, as a supplement to our 5th December health and welfare bulletin.

Pay is back in the news as health workers look forward to the January pay adjustment under the Public Service Stability Agreement.

It comes as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) publishes its fourth report on chief executives’ pay, which reveals increases of between 9% and a staggering 99%. The average for the rest of us was less than 3% this year.

And earlier this month, Fórsa health officials gave evidence to a Joint Oireachtas committee looking at health service staffing. They championed a better balance between community and hospital services, along with strong health promotion, and called for immediate planning for the introduction of the Sláintecare model. 

There’s exciting international news too, as a new survey reveals over 1,400 examples of privatised services being brought back into public control in over 58 countries across the globe.

Thanks to all of you who completed the recent survey on workplace harassment, which we reported on in the last issue. ICTU tells us that the response rate from Fórsa members was particularly high.

We can also report a generous response from the union’s members and branches to the Fórsa Youth Network’s annual Christmas quiz, which raised over €3,500 for the Transgender Equality Network Ireland. The union’s National Executive Committee has agreed to match that figure.

Ireland’s growing band of homeless families is also top of mind at this time of year, with well over 10,000 adults and children without a place to call home. ICTU spoke out on our behalf again earlier this month.

We’ll be back with all the news in the New Year. In the meantime, a very Happy Christmas from all of us in the Fórsa Communications Unit.

PS. Don’t forget that if you want your P60 from January, you now have to access it through Revenue’s online system, called myAccount.