Talks between Fórsa and the HSE in the Career Pathway Review dispute came to a standstill last week. As a result, the union has formally requested a return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in a final attempt to resolve the outstanding matters. This has been scheduled for Wednesday 29^th February 2024.

Since December, there have been three meetings between the HSE and Fórsa to finalise agreement on staff to senior progression for eight Health and Social Care Professions, namely members working in dietetics, orthoptics, occupational therapy, podiatry, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, social care work, and social work within the HSE and HSE funded services.

A staff-to-senior career pathway has been a longstanding demand from the union. Proposals were agreed at the WRC in September and December 2023 following extensive engagement. These proposals built on the recommendation contained in the Career Pathway Review interim report published in 2020.

The most recent discussions focused on the bottoming out of the process already commenced in primary care, the appropriate pathway for social workers in primary care and the implementation of an equitable staff-to-senior pathway outside of primary care.

Fórsa secured agreement in relation to the grade progression from basic to senior social work in primary care, and the parties will continue to engage on a job description for social work in primary care.

However, though the engagement was constructive it ultimately ended in an impasse between the parties on several significant matters. As a result, we have formally requested a return to the Workplace Relations Commission in a final attempt to resolve the outstanding matters.

National Secretary Linda Kelly said members are right to be frustrated by the slow progress. “This issue has been ongoing for three years now. Just under two months ago we were confident that the agreement reached at the WRC in December 2023 would create the staff-to-senior pathway. Now it seems that the HSE is retreating from those proposals”.

Linda continued “These meetings in January were due to agree procedural specifics. Instead, we are at an impasse and have had to resort to a final return to the WRC. Our members gave us a clear mandate in 2023 to act on this issue, so it’s really disappointing to see progress stalled. The Dispute Committee will have to consider the appropriate next course of action should resolution not be reached at the WRC.”

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Fórsa and other unions represented on the National Joint Council have sought urgent meetings with the chief executive of St John of Gods (SJOG), Claire Dempsey and the HSE, following last week’s announcement by SJOG that it has decided to transfer all its service provision operation to the HSE.

The SJOG’s announcement follows what it said was a review of proposals from the HSE that “fell significantly short of what is required to address the accumulated deficit and ongoing financial sustainability of St John of Gods Community Services,” and that the decision to transfer services to the HSE was ratified at a meeting of the SJOG board.

Unions contacted Ms Dempsey last weekend, noting that she had advised SJOG staff that the transfer would be in accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employees (TUPE) legislation.

The legislation requires parties involved in such a transfer to immediately engage with employee representatives, and unions have sought an immediate meeting “in order that we can advise our members accordingly of the implications of this decision.”

Unions also contacted the HSE seeking an engagement on the SJOG’s decision to transfer services.

Responding to developments this week, Fórsa national secretary Ashley Connolly said that the union’s members working at SJOG were understandably concerned about the transfer announcement.

She commented: “Our members at SJOG, many of whom have provided long years of service to the organisation, are shocked and concerned by the latest developments, and we want to ensure that any transfer takes place with minimal disruption to them,” she said.

Fórsa official Olajide Ogidan added: “There is also a significant community of service users and families who rely on these services, and we want to ensure that, in the event of a transfer of services, there is no disruption either to staff or to service users.

“That’s why immediate engagement, as required by the TUPE legislation, is absolutely necessary,” he said.

HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster has publicly criticised the SJOG following the announcement. The specialist publication Industrial Relations News reported this week that Gloster said the community care organisation has “more than enough money” to continue its operations.

He said SJOG is a “fully funded service” with a breakeven position for recent years, and all of the protections afforded to a Section 38 body. In that context, he said, the provider’s actions “can be nothing other than a source of great concern”.

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On Wednesday 21^st February, Fórsa kicked off a CORU registration roadshow for our social care work members. This was the first in a series of seminars to support and advise our social care work members on the CORU regulation and registration processes. The next event will take place in our Sligo office Tuesday 12^th March, with events running up to 11th September 2024. The full list of events is available here.

On 30^th November 2023, new legislation came into effect which requires all social care workers to register with CORU. This is in preparation for 30^th November 2025, when the title ‘Social Care Worker’ will become a legally protected title in Ireland.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Chris Cully said “We want to ensure that our members are well informed of any regulatory changes, and take them through the registration process so they can avoid any pitfalls and spend more time focussing on their work.”

These events are only open to Fórsa members. Anyone interested in attending an information event can join Fórsa by clicking here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa and the European Biosafety Network (EBN), along with the Hospital Pharmacists Association of Ireland (HPAI) and the National Association of Hospital Pharmacy Technicians (NAHPT), gathered on Tuesday January 30th to explore best practice around Hazardous Medicinal Products (HMPs) and other dangerous drugs. HMPs pose potential risks to healthcare workers across the board from manufacturing to administration, potentially causing health issues ranging from headaches to severe conditions like cancer.

Lively and engaged discussions echoed through Fórsa HQ at Éamonn Ceannt House as over 100 participants from across the Irish healthcare and social care sector came together for a day of dialogue among hospital pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, oncology nurses, occupational health specialists, and an eager audience. 

Ian Lindsley, Secretary of the European Biosafety Network unveiled survey results on Irish healthcare workers' awareness and engagement in preventive measures.  The results revealed that the majority of those using a list of HMPs, use the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NOISH) list of hazardous drugs.  Ian highlighted how this is a list from the United States, dating from 2020, and therefore may not reflect the full range of HMPs used in Ireland. 

“So if your starting point is the NIOSH list, you may miss some of the substances that are only available in Europe or even specific to to Ireland,” he warned.

He described how less than half of the 480 survey respondents use a list of HMPs in their workplace. While almost 40% of respondents do not have a written policy for risk assessment or handling of HMPs and talked about safety data sheets and other labelling systems to protect workers.

“The vast majority of workplaces ought to be using one list or another,” Ian advised. “If you don't use a list, it makes it more difficult to know which drugs are hazardous, let alone to prevent exposure.”

Ian described how any legislative approach to HMPs needs to be backed up on the ground.  “At the end of the day, that needs to be enforced and it needs to be implemneted practically,” Ian said. “So, in the real world, I think it's organizations like Fórsa who are the ones who will have to lead the battle in terms of ensuring implementation of these legal measures.”

The packed panels and keynotes that followed saw Dr. Tony Mizo and Dr. Paul Sessink present insights into new European legislation, including an EU list of HMPs and guidelines on safe handling, with discussions on their practical implementation and transposition in Ireland. 

Dr Tony Muso, a senior researcher at the European Trade Union Institute, highlighted the frightening volume of workers that are exposed to HMPs.  He described how HMPs pose risks in obvious places like healthcare settings or the pharmaceutical industry and across the labour force.

Dr. Paul Sessink emphasised the importance of risk assessments around HMPs and the role employers have to play.

“Without the risk assessments, you can do nothing,” he said.  “The risk assessment enables the decisions you have to take on management training, exposure assessments, and health surveillance. It's actually the starting point. The key point of all the work related to exposure to Hazardous Medicinal Products is that the responsibility for the risk assessments lies with the employer.” 

Fórsa, along with the EBN, HPAI, and NAHPT, urged the Health Service Executive (HSE) to quickly update their 'Guideline on the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs.' This guideline hasn't been updated since February 2022 and needs to include the latest changes from the new EU Directive and related guidance on Hazardous Medicinal Products (HMPs). They also emphasized the importance of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) stepping up inspections at healthcare facilities and manufacturing sites dealing with HMPs.

Linda Kelly, Fórsa national secretary said: “With the issue of exposure to hazardous medicinal products (HMPs) directly and indirectly impacting so many of our members, it is imperative that awareness of the risks is improved, and that we act now to prevent the damaging health effects that exposure to HMPs can have on the workforce. We are calling for preventive measures to be put in place to protect all workers potentially exposed to contamination. We must work holistically to ensure that all workers in health and social care are sufficiently protected when doing their jobs.

“The new EU Directive that includes HMPs for the first time must be transposed into Irish law by 5 April 2024. But the real work does not stop with changes to legislation or the implementation of new EU guidance; employers in Irish health and social care need to understand the risks of exposure to HMPs, implement controls and take immediate action to protect workers.”

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

In any organisation, certain phrases and soundbites become woven into the fabric of everyday life. One such refrain in Fórsa is how important it is to recruit new members. Well, there’s cause for celebration as Fórsa’s membership figure has surged to 85,000 over the past year.

Fórsa has nearly doubled the number of new members to join in any comparative period in the past decade. Seán McElhinney, Fórsa’s Director of Membership, attributes the surge to various material factors such as the broader economic conditions, youth migration, housing and living costs, and workplace issues. He leans into simple everyday anecdotes to explain it.

“Brennan's bread is now €2 a loaf and 450 grams of Kerrygold butter is now over €4. So people are finding it harder to get by. And when it comes to fighting for better pay and fighting for a change in our society, it's the trade union movement, and Fórsa in particular are the ones fighting for it,” he said.

Seán paints a vivid picture of a union with a  diverse membership base, that defies stereotypes of an aging male workforce. "Three quarters of all our members are female and a quarter are male," he reveals.

"Most of our members are under the age of 40. The median age of a formal member is 39, mirroring the median age of someone in Irish society, which I believe is about 38. So, we're reflective of society. We're particularly representative of women workers. And when we secure pay rises, we're changing things for the better in Ireland."

With a pay ballot now underway, Seán gives some details on Fórsa’s pioneering work in digitally mobilising its members to participate in union democracy.  During Covid, the union hosted the first ever online industrial action ballot inn Ireland for more than 69k workers with 58% turn out taking part.  

“But just two years later, we were able to improve our level of participation to more than two thirds of our whole membership. More than 67% of our members voted in the next online industrial ballot which was the Building Momentum ballot in 2022. This year, in 2024, we want to see that improve again.”

Behind the membership growth is a very committed team. Seán is quick to celebrate how their unwavering personal commitments to social justice and their work as engine drivers of Fórsa's mission to grow. Painstakingly, the team makes the effort to personally chat to every new member.  With nearly 11,000 joining last year, that’s a tireless task. 

“They understand the profound connection between their efforts and the transformative change sought by the organisation. The team see a very real link between the work that they do and that change. Positioned at the forefront of every new member's journey, they ensure a warm welcome and personalised guidance. This personal touch not only fosters a sense of belonging but also empowers members by clarifying their role within the union,” he says.

He sees opportunities, particularly in the ongoing pay ballot to further bolster membership and drive positive change. He encourages members and activists to engage with those in their circles and ask them to join the union. 

“It's about getting our activists and officers and reps involved in workplaces and our around our branches talking to people about the issue of pay, talking to people about their economic circumstances, and about the change that Fórsa can affect provided we have the power and to have the power we need the people and membership,” he says.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The union’s ballot on the Public Service Agreement 2024 – 2026 opened on Monday 19^th February. Over 72,000 members are eligible to vote in the online ballot.

Early turnout figures indicate a strong interest by members in having their say on the agreement, as over 30,000 members have already cast their vote.

Ahead of the ballot opening Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan wrote to all members. You can read that letter here. 

By now you should have received your Unique Voter Code so that you can cast your vote on the Mi-Voice platform. If you have not received the code you should contact your divisional helpdesk.

Information meetings are underway across all divisions, in workplaces and online. You can find a list of upcoming information meetings here.

Don’t forget we have a hub of ballot resources for union members and activists. The aim of these resources is to help you inform yourself about the agreement before you cast your vote.

You can access a detailed FAQ here. 

There is a poster you can download, distribute or display in your workplace here, and a more detailed flyer for the same purpose is available here. These are A4 formats so you can easily print them on workplace printers. 

We have also produced a 'Plain English' Guide to the Agreement, which you can download here. For more information on Plain English visit the website of the National Adult Literacy Service www.nala.ie.

All of the resources are also available here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland Dr Wahba Abdalmajid will address delegates at Fórsa's International Spring School, taking place next Friday and Saturday (1^st and 2^nd March). She will discuss the ongoing war on Palestine and continued bombardment of Gaza, with the death toll now at almost 30,000 people killed.

The school will provide a unique opportunity for interested members to learn about and discuss a range of international, trade union and human rights issues.

Delegates will also hear from Luis Monje from Public Services International, and UNICEF’s Peter Power, who will explore projects and initiatives part-funded by Fórsa through its developing world fund. In addition, European experts Dr Bridget Laffan, Alex White, and EPSU General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan will also take centre stage to discuss Europe and the emerging trends ahead of elections later this year.

On Saturday delegates will learn from Niamh McDonnell of the Hope and Courage Collective, and The Institute of Strategic Dialogue’s Ciarán O’Connor about the rise of the far right in Ireland, while Fórsa’s Liz Fay will discuss the recent far right attacks on libraries across the country.

Closing out the day, legal director at the ITUC Paapa Danquah will join Hatice Pantir Yilan from Liman-İş Union and the GMB’s Ferdousara Uddin, exploring the fight for trade union freedom.

Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers said he was encouraged by the response to the school to date.

“Solidarity, both at home and internationally, is a cornerstone and fundamental to what we stand for in Fórsa. The school is a key event in the union calendar and one we work hard to deliver. This year is no exception, we have seen unprecedented demand to attend. We have fantastic speakers and excellent activists who will make this weekend engaging, informative,” he said.

There are limited number places still available, and members interested in participating should speak to their branch and register their interest here. 

The full programme can be viewed here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa is calling on members to join us at the Stand Together anti-racism demonstration Saturday 2^nd March in Dublin. Stand Together will be the second major Le Chéile anti-racism demonstration following on from last year’s Ireland For All rally.

The march is due to start at 1:30pm. Members can collect flags and banners from Fórsa’s head office at Nerney’s Court from 12.30pm, and we will assemble outside the Hugh Lane gallery from 1:15pm onwards.

Last year’s march saw 50,000 people from all over Ireland standing in solidarity to celebrate diversity and say ‘no’ to discrimination and hate. We hope to see another strong showing from Fórsa members this year.

If you would like to assist on the day, please get in touch with the campaigns unit by emailing campaigns@forsa.ie and if you are unable to attend you can post on social media with the hashtags #DiversityNotDivision #RefugeesWelcome #LeChéileDND #NoToRacism.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

A number of upcoming courses for our members are currently accepting applications. Whether you are a new member or a workplace rep there is a training for you.

• Fórsa101 for new members on Wednesday 13^th March

This one-hour online session introduced new members to the union, explaining how the union is structured and how members can get involved.

• Branch chairs and secretaries training on Tuesday March 26^th

This training is for newly elected branch chairpersons and secretaries. It will cover their role and responsibilities, and give participants an opportunity to develop their skills. Topics will include setting an agenda, engaging with members, chairing a meeting, and organising an inclusive and effective meeting.

• Branch Treasurers training on Thursday 28^th March 

This training is for newly elected Branch Treasurers. It will explain their role and responsibilities along with their specific duties and functions.

• Expanded Workplace Representatives on Wednesday 3^rd and Thursday 4^th April

If you are a workplace rep and you have already completed the Foundational Workplace Representatives Programme, or you have 4+ years’ experience in your representative role, then this is the course for you. This 2-day course focuses on organising and industrial relations.

The full calendar of training throughout 2024 is available here.

The full calendar of training throughout 2024 is available here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

An event to mark two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine takes place this afternoon (Friday) at the Russian Embassy in Dublin. The event, which takes place between 3 and 4pm, has been organised by a group of activists, including a retired member of Fórsa, who have continued to hold a peaceful protest at the embassy since the February 2022 invasion.

John Farrelly retired from the CDETB a couple of years ago and was an active member of the union. He is one of around 50 regular protesters that have, since the invasion of Ukraine on 24^th February 2022, gathered daily outside the Russian Embassy in Dublin.

He explained: “As part of our ongoing protest we are organising this event to mark two years of Russian invasion, two years of Russia’s full scale war, and two years of peaceful protest at the embassy on Orwell Road,” he said.

The one-hour event starts at 3pm. John said friends, family and supporters will gather to remember those who have been killed in Ukraine by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s regime, including Pierre Zakrewski, Rory Mason, Finbar Cafferkey and Graham Dale.

“As the illegal invasion of Ukraine continues, we wanted to give people the opportunity to reflect, to remember the thousands of innocent civilians killed, injured and displaced by this war, in a spirit of solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” he said.

John says the group of protesters who gather at the Russian embassy is a very diverse group of individuals: “The unifying force for us as a group is a fierce determination to oppose the criminal invasion of Ukraine by Putin and his regime.”

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has criticised last week’s veto - by a minority of EU states – against an agreement to provide improved protections for workers forced into bogus self-employment.

The ETUC said the veto by France, Germany, Greece and Estonia is a major blow to millions of workers, including delivery riders, carers, taxi drivers and others working in Europe’s ‘gig’ economy.

It marks the failure of a second attempt to establish the Platform Work Directive, which would have effected major change across Europe’s gig economy.

The ETUC said the 23 countries that voted in favour should not delay, but instead “should work with trade unions and take action at national level to end the scandal of bogus self-employment.”

In a statement, the ETUC said the European Commission must follow through on its responsibilities and “ensure that all workers, including platform workers, are protected under EU employment law.”

Responding to last week’s development, ETUC Confederal Secretary Ludovic Voet said the failure to deliver on the promised platform work directive doesn’t postpone the urgency of the need for action and criticised the governments “with well-documented links to platform lobbyists” who had vetoed the directive.

In its newsletter this week the European Public Services Union (EPSU) said corporate Europe had lobbied hard to get this result “with the Uber transport platform in particular exploiting its links with the Macron government in France. It has also emerged that lead advisor of the German liberal FDP, part of the government coalition, was a lobbyist for a delivery platform.”

The four states involved had refused to support a revised directive which had toned down the legal presumption of an employment relationship, which has been described as the most contentious part of the directive.

Mr Voet criticised the “millionaire tech bros” whose “exploitative” business model had been protected by the veto and said they “shouldn’t celebrate too long”.

He added: “Any platform lobby claiming this directive will lead to massive reclassification of genuine self-employed was protecting their profits.

“Implementing the presumption of employment relationship, and the reversal of burden of proof at national level, is more urgent than ever,” he said.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.