Health sector unions, including Fórsa, are attending the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) today (Friday) following their decision to trigger a review of the HSE’s compliance with the staffing agreement (‘Pay and Numbers’) reached earlier this year. 

Fórsa, along with other unions, activated the review clause after gathering widespread evidence that the HSE is not implementing the agreement as intended. The unions have said the HSE has failed to deliver on key commitments to fill thousands of approved and funded posts, reduce reliance on agency staff, and ensure maternity leave cover across all health regions.  

In a letter to members last week (16th October), Fórsa national secretaries Linda Kelly and Ashley Connolly confirmed that approximately 6,000 funded posts remain unfilled nationwide. “This is simply unacceptable, and those posts cannot be lost as we approach year end,” they said. 

The letter said the HSE continues to impose recruitment restrictions that are undermining agreed measures to strengthen frontline services, despite repeated engagement through local joint union management forums and at national level. Linda and Ashley said Fórsa has consistently pressed the employer to honour the terms of the deal agreed last March, which was endorsed by members in a ballot and averted planned industrial action at the time. 

That agreement required the HSE to make “every effort” to fill approved vacancies and to cover maternity leave, while remaining within its overall employment ceiling. It also provided for an early review mechanism should unions believe the employer was in breach, a provision that has now been activated. 

Health unions, including Fórsa, the INMO, SIPTU and others, have warned that failure to staff services properly has serious implications for patient safety and for the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. 

Fórsa’s Divisional Executive Committee (DEC) has reaffirmed its position that the HSE must implement the WRC staffing agreement in full and protect all currently approved, unfilled posts. Members will receive a further update following today’s conciliation conference, and branches are asked to save Thursday 6th November for a Divisional Council meeting, with formal notice to follow. 

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