In the early hours of Tuesday morning (17th October), just before community and voluntary sector workers were due to begin an indefinite strike action, unions secured an agreement at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), offering a clear path to resolving the long running pay dispute.

Workers in Section 39 (health and disability services) Section 56 (services to children), Section 10 (homeless services), had balloted for industrial action earlier this year to address pay inequality, where workers in these organisations are paid far less than their counterparts doing equivalent work in the HSE. This pay inequality has led to a recruitment and retention crisis which is crippling the services that care for Ireland’s most vulnerable people.

The interim agreement addresses the core issue of pay inequality through proposed pay raises and a commitment to developing a mechanism to align the pay of Section 39, 10 and 56 workers with public sector pay.

This agreement is a significant step forward. We are closer to pay parity than we have been in a decade. It sets out a clear path for pay increases and there is a clear commitment to restoration of the link with public sector pay.

For the first time the Government has acknowledged the need for sustainable funding in the sector, that the lack of funding has led to a recruitment and retention crisis, and that the pay of workers in Section 39, 10 and 56 organisations has fallen behind equivalent and comparable grades in public service organisations.

The details of the interim agreement are:

1. The pay of workers will be adjusted as follows:

• An increase of 3% from 1 April 2023
• An increase of 2% from 1 November 2023
• An increase of 3% from 1 March 2024

2. The WRC will convene parties to this interim agreement no later than 1 December 2023. The purpose of this engagement will be to agree further adjustments in funding for organisations and their staff that will have regard to the terms of Building Momentum and the terms of any successor agreement.

Speaking about the interim agreement Fórsa national secretary Ashley Connolly said: “The interim agreement is a first step towards addressing the terms and conditions of workers in Section 39, 10 and 56 agencies and restoring the link with public sector pay. This proposal will now be put to members.”

Ashley continued “The commitment and courage of our members who were prepared to take indefinite strike action strengthened our hand during these difficult negotiations. I want to thank all our members, supporters and the service users who all worked together to raise the issue with politicians and stakeholders.”

The next steps will include organising information sessions on the agreement and informing members of balloting arrangements. If you have further questions about the agreement, please contact your local branch official.

Industrial action will commence on Wednesday 25^th of October for clerical and admin members employed by Tusla in grades III to VI. Notice was served by Fórsa on the 4^th of October and despite best efforts by the union to engage openly on a job evaluation scheme with Tusla, it is regrettable that a ‘work to rule’ will commence.

From the 25^th of October Fórsa members are instructed to:

• Not carry out the work of other colleagues in their absence
• Not carry out the work of any vacant post irrespective of length of time vacant or the reason for the vacancy
• Not carry out the work of a post of a higher grade (unless being remunerated for same)
• Not formulate, generate or submit management reports such as, reports for board meetings, government departments, management meetings, stastical information, financial reports, KPI’s, etc.
• Not carry out the work associated with parliamentary questions
• Not carry out work associated with FOI requests
• Not participate in or support the work associated with the Tusla Reform Programme, this includes not organising meetings, attending meetings, recording and/or circulating minutes, agenda, documents or reports for any such meetings.
• Not provide lunch time cover at reception desks between the hours of 1pm and 2pm.

Fórsa Assistant General Secretary Chris Cully said that 97.7% voted in favour of this industrial action up to and including full strike action if necessary in relation to the job evaluation scheme. The union will stand by and support its members through it.

“I am conscious that many members may never have been involved in industrial action before and may need advice and support in order to ensure they are compliant with the instruction from the union.  If you have any questions and queries, please in the first instance contact your local branch representative for advice and support.” 

“Your local Branch committees and union officials have all been briefed about the industrial action and have in place a disputes committee to deal with queries.  

An FAQ document will be circulated to members and published on our website on Monday.

Chris continued “If we stick together, stand strong and we all follow the union instruction, we have the best chance of succeeding in this dispute.”

Fórsa remains available to engage directly with Tusla in relation to any contingency plans or derogation requests in advance of the commencement of industrial action.

Industrial action by all clerical admin and managerial Fórsa members in the HSE and Section 38 organisations is set to escalate from next Friday (27th October). The action is in response to the HSE’s unilateral imposition of a moratorium on recruitment and commenced on 6^th October last. Fórsa members have been engaged in a sustained action of non-cooperation since that date.

The union has now issued seven days’ notice of the escalation to the HSE. In a memo to members, Fórsa’s head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly said that, in addition to the previous instruction members are instructed that from normal starting time on Friday 27th October 2023, until further notice, members should:

• Decline, unless normally rostered, to work over weekends and / or bank holidays
• Not use their work allocated mobile phone outside of their normal working hours unless it is for emergency purposes
• Not take direction or report to an agency worker from Grade V or above
• Not work outside their agreed contract working hours unless in receipt of agreed overtime rates (this does not include flexi time). 
• Not engage in communications with the CTTO and CISO Office
• Not cooperate with HealthIrl Computer Domain Migration Project and /or other reform projects.

Ashley added: “Fórsa members in the eastern region where IFMS (the national Integrated Financial Management and Procurement System) has been implemented should continue to carry out their roles and functions.

“However, these members have been instructed not to cooperate or engage in relation to the further rollout of the program, or any new functionality, beyond what has been implemented up to 19th October 2023. Members working across the IFMS have also been instructed not to cooperate with any external agency in relation to IFMS workload,” she said.

Ashley said further phased action will commence in the week of 13th November: “Members in various locations each day will be instructed not to answer telephones, work mobile phones and respond to emails for specific times throughout the day.”

Ashley advised that Fórsa will notify members of the exact locations and times closer to the date. From the 27^th November members in various locations will participate in organised rolling lunchtime protests on separate dates.

The escalated action is in addition to the action ongoing since 6^th October. Since that date members have been instructed:

• Not to undertake tasks, functions or responsibilities associated with any vacant post
• Not to carry out the duties of a higher grade and strictly adhere to the rules and procedures governing their post
• To boycott all engagement in relation to HSE Health Regions also known as Regional Health Areas (RHAs)
• Not to engage or attend any working groups, planning, restructuring, consultation, scoping, discussion meetings / forums in relation to all change programs underway across the HSE and / or Section 38s. (e.g., RHAs, HSPA, NiSRP)
• Not to engage or participate in any meetings in relation to the further roll out of the IFMS change program including the roll-out of implementation group 2, 3, 4 and 5
• Not to return national information / data returns e.g., KPIs, Accident & Emergency statistics, delayed discharges, monthly activities etc. (including non-engagement in online forums and / or teleconference in relation to same)
• Not to engage with Finance and HR Information processes (including non-engagement in online forums and / or teleconference in relation to same)
• Not to cooperate with regulatory bodies e.g., HIQA
• Withdrawal from all national committees
• Not to engage with, meet, report to, or provide any information to external private consultants or HSE advisors
• Not to participate or engage with performance achievement / management
• Not to engage with all political forums and / or processes (PQs etc)
• Not to engage with any proposals in relation to the extended working week

Ashley added: “The unilateral actions of the HSE has irrevocably broken all trust between the parties and demonstrates an unwarranted and unfair disdain for the national industrial relations process.”

Progress is being made in the Career Pathway dispute related to Health and Social Care Professionals cohorts (HSCPs).

On Thursday 12^th October the Health and Welfare Divisional Dispute Committee met and agreed to extend the period of engagement under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Talks over the past six weeks have been constructive and significant progress has been made in relation to the outstanding process in Primary Care. However, progress has been limited in relation to a bespoke staff to senior process outside of Primary Care  which is of significant concern to Fórsa.

Nonetheless, in a letter to the HSE, Fórsa national secretary Linda Kelly indicated that she believes the HSE is committed to meaningfully exploring all options and that all potential solutions have not been exhausted.

On that basis Fórsa have agreed to continue direct engagement under the auspices of the WRC, and that the parties will revert to the WRC with either agreement or for further conciliation in December 2023. 

The previously scheduled industrial action remains suspended while these talks take place.

Ms Kelly said: “Our members have waited a long time for the resolution of this dispute. The progress made to date is encouraging. We are committed to exploring every option over the next 6 weeks."

For more on the background of this dispute please see here FAQs - Career Pathway Review Dispute: Industrial Action - Forsa 

If members have questions concerning recent developments in this dispute they should contact their local branch or email healthandwelfareinfo@forsa.ie.

On Wednesday 18^th October Fórsa hosted a one-day conference for Social Care Workers on all aspects of statutory regulation ahead of the opening of the CORU Register for Social Care Workers on 30th November. We were delighted to welcome over 150 members to the free event in Dublin.

The Conference was opened by Andy Meaney, Vice Chairperson of the Health and Welfare Division and heard Opening Remarks from Chris Cully, Fórsa Assistant General Secretary.

Chris outlined how the role of Social Care Workers has grown and expanded over the years, moving from a time when there were no professional qualifications to today when there are forty-four-degree courses available.

The progress of the profession has culminated in regulation which gives equity of standing with the other health professions.

Margaret Hynds O’Flanagan, Registrar of CORU, gave a keynote address on what registration means for Social Care Workers. She also explained the different avenues a social care professional must take to become registered.

She explained that depending on your status as new graduate, an international applicant, or an existing practitioner there are different routes one must take to become registered.

In the afternoon a panel discussion considered the impact of regulation on the profession, the speakers were: Susan Barnes, Lecturer, South East Technological University, Catherine Byrne, Head of Strategy and Policy, CORU, Olive Leonard, Director of HR, Muiríosa Foundation, Mary Nolan, Chairperson, Social Care Workers, National Professional Committee, Fórsa  and Mark Smith, Director of Crannóg Nua, Special Care Service, Tusla.

The conference ended with a speech by Linda Kelly, Fórsa National Secretary on Fitness to Practice.

Dear members,

Over the past two weeks, Budget Day has come and gone, there has been a horrific escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine, and a strike by workers in the community and voluntary sector was averted hours before it was due to start. 

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, just before community and voluntary sector workers were due to begin an indefinite strike action, unions secured an agreement at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), offering a clear path to resolving the long running pay dispute.The most important part of the agreement was the recognition by the government of the staffing crisis in the agencies concerned and their commitment to re-engage in relation to pay parity following the public service pay talks. You can read more about the agreement here. 

We are now at half time in this dispute. However, I want to acknowledge the huge effort by our members, branches and staff to prepare for the strike and to thank everyone involved. It was wonderful to see workers and providers standing together for service users.

Over the past week, it has been impossible not to be concerned by the escalating violence in the Middle East. Last week I issued a statement on behalf of Fórsa condemning in the strongest possible terms the appalling violence against civilians in Israel and Gaza, expressing condolences to all who are mourning the loss of loved ones and calling for the immediate safe release of those who have been taken hostage.

Since then, we have witnessed utter devastation in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis unfold before our eyes. Following my return from Palestine at the end of June, I met the Tánaiste along with representatives of a number of other Irish charities and NGOs. Last Friday we wrote to him again asking that the Irish government continue to do all it can to stand for international law and to act as a voice of reason and de-escalation. Along with other Congress unions we will be participating in demonstrations this weekend to reinforce this call and to support the ordinary Palestinian people.

Budget Day has come and gone, and, in many ways, it was a mixed bag. The further reduction in childcare costs will make a difference for parents of young children and the extension of free schoolbooks will remove a worry for many when next September approaches.

The increase in the National Minimum Wage to €12.70 per hour had been well flagged and represents a step on the road towards a real Living Wage. The focus on low paid workers is a welcome one and will need to be reflected in pay bargaining as we move forward.

Overall, the consensus is that the considerable budgetary adjustment was spread widely without making the kind of transformative impact that could have been possible. And some elements, such as the tax break for landlords, were simply regressive.

At the conclusion of his speech Minister Paschal Donohoe alluded to the upcoming public service pay talks expressing the hope that the various measures announced in the budget would be reflected in union demands.

He didn’t refer to the significant shortfall in wages against inflation over the 2021 to 2023 period or to the fact that in his budget speech last year he began by raising his department’s estimates for 2023 inflation from 3% to 7.1%.

It is likely to turn out to be nearer the higher figure. Importantly, he didn’t acknowledge that many of the budgetary measures are temporary in nature while the increase in the overall level of prices almost certainly is not.

It is clear that pay bargaining across the economy, including in the public sector, will have an important part to play in protecting living standards. This will remain to the fore of our minds as we continue to prepare for public pay talks and we will of course continue to keep you updated.

Kevin Callinan
General Secretary

Fórsa is encouraging members to complete a short survey to help further our research on bullying in the workplace. Your contribution is entirely voluntary and anonymous and is in strict compliance with Fórsa's Data Protection policy.

The results of this research will help to provide objective statistical analysis to help inform our upcoming seminar, "Your Right to Dignity in the Workplace", which will take place on Thursday 16th November 2023. Details on how to attend this seminar will be circulated to branches next week.

This research aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of members' experiences of bullying in the workplace or being a witness to bullying.

The survey also sets out to inform policy and procedures when raising such matters with respective employers.

This survey is relevant to all members, including those who have not directly experienced bullying at work.

The survey is online now and it will remain open until Friday 27th October 2023. You can access it HERE.

The purpose of Trade Union training and education is to empower our representatives and equip them to secure better outcomes for our members.  

Trade Union education is different from other forms of education because it is group oriented and grounded in the experiences, and needs of participants.

Trade union training is non-academic and focuses on developing key skills for effective representation, recognising that our representatives are the experts in their field. All the learning is practical, applicable, and relevant to participants.

The Fórsa Skills Academy works to enhance members’ knowledge, skills and attitudes with high quality, accessible training and learning events, and activist development opportunities.

Our programmes are about supporting local leaders, developing competent representatives, and supporting our activists.  How?  By creating a simple pathway of learning for representatives to travel.

A quick overview of our main programmes is contained in the diagram below, represented as a series of blocks forming a learning pathway, from new member to workplace representative and then on to branch executive officer.  Additional courses are being added all the time to this pathway.

 
We survey all participants in our training courses to ensure we can adjust our training to ensure they are as effective as possible and to ensure we continue to support members on their learning pathway. 

The Application Process 

It’s important that training applications are received in a timely fashion to enable all courses to proceed as scheduled.  The Branch Executive Committee and Officials should be made aware of those seeking training, so that they can advise and provide support accordingly.

Keep an eye on your Divisional ebulletin for further articles about training and education in Fórsa.  If you have a specific question or clarification on our training programmes, please don’t hesitate to contact Judith in the Skills Academy office in Cork at skillsacademy@forsa.ie

We look forward to welcoming you at our next training programme and leave you with a wonderful quote from the indomitable Maya Angelou: “I did then what I knew how to do.  Now that I know better, I do better”. 

Fórsa has welcomed the Department of Public Expenditure’s Menopause Policy framework which mandates all civil service organisations to implement a menopause policy by early 2024. 

Launched this week on World Menopause Day (18th October), the framework mandates every civil service organisation to have a menopause policy in place by early 2024. It offers a list of guidelines and supports for managers to choose from, and provides a blueprint for employers in all sectors. 

In response Fórsa has said it would like to see consistent minimum standards and mandatory supports across all civil service organisations, not varying versions of these policies.

Fórsa also successfully negotiated the inclusion of a checklist in the framework and called for it to be prominently displayed in all workplaces so employees are aware of the range of supports that are, and can be, made available to them if they are going through symptoms of menopause. 

The union said this will further help raise awareness and alleviate some of the stigma that exists for employees when discussing menopausal issues with their managers, or seeking out supports. 

In its submission to the draft policy, Fórsa said the evolving landscape of the workforce necessitated a corresponding evolution in workplace protections and policies. As our workforce changes, so must our workplace protections and policies.

Head of Fórsa’s civil service division, Éamonn Donnelly, who made the submission said: “While we acknowledge the progressive nature of this framework, we believe it can go further by providing safeguards that would grant employees access to the support structures delineated within the framework and guidance document.”

“The efficacy of the support measures laid out by the framework hinges on workers' ability to avail themselves of these measures without fear of reprisal or victimisation.

“We welcome the recommendation of adopting the framework, but it is also imperative that we retain consistent standards to be implemented across each organisation. This will ensure that organisations and managers do not cherry-pick easily implementable supports while overlooking some of the more substantial guidelines and changes that are recommended,” said Éamonn. 

In that respect, Fórsa believes a few key priority accommodations should be made compulsory for every organisation. 

In Fórsa’s 2022 survey on the subject of menstrual and menopausal welfare policies at work, we found that just 1% of employee respondents benefited from such a policy within their workplaces. 

This new policy should increase that number substantially and represents a significant step forward. Fórsa will continue to negotiate and campaign on this issue across all divisions to ensure all members can benefit from this type of policy. 

Fórsa members can win a €1,000 Blue Book hotel voucher by entering a competition organised by Glennon Car and Home Insurance at Arachas. Just contact Glennon to renew an existing car or home policy or take out a new one and you will be automatically entered into the draw.

The competition closes on the 31st of December when a winner will be chosen at random. Glennon at Arachas are insurance experts with over 70 years’ industry experience. They have worked with the union for many years. For more details of the details of the competition you can see the terms & conditions.

You can get further information on Glennon deals for Fórsa members by clicking HERE or by calling 01-707-5999.