Colleagues, as 2023 began I was conscious of the enormous pressure faced by our colleagues working in our health services. Covid, flu and record numbers seeking treatment have made this mid-winter an especially difficult one for workers and service users alike. The pressure continues and the Government, Department of Health and the HSE have each come in for strong criticism.

As new health service structures begin to take shape, Fórsa remains determined to ensure services are properly resourced and that our members have the support they need in changing times.

Despite a recent reduction in the inflation rate, the most significant challenges for trade unions in 2023 will be continuing high inflation. Should it continue to exceed last year’s projections by the Department of Finance, as seems likely,  it will put considerable pressure on pay bargaining during the year ahead, including in the public service as the extended (Building Momentum) agreement expires in December.

Fórsa remains determined to solve the significant pay deficit for workers in the community and voluntary sector. The widening gap in pay, compared to other sectors, has led to recruitment and retention problems for organisations, notably those delivering health services. Limited strike action last September illustrated the determination of health workers in the sector to fight for change. While those efforts did not lead to an immediate solution, solving the issue has become a major objective for the union in 2023. 

Bargaining power

The expectation of higher inflation is also reflected in ICTU’s wage bargaining advice for the private sector, where the Congress Private Sector Committee has advised unions to seek pay increases in the range of 4 to 7.5% this year.

There has been a recent flurry of pay activity in the private and commercial sector as, driven by the cost-of-living crisis, and the current tight labour market. Post-Covid pay restoration and new collective agreements are happening in the aviation sector, most recently for Ryanair cabin crew and pilots, and pay increases are being won in more profitable enterprises. These are welcome developments and demonstrate the real premium of union membership and organised labour.

Collective trade union organisation is essential. No one should be under any illusion that these things would happen without the intervention of trade union bargaining power. The challenge for every union, every official, and every activist, is to ensure we grow our membership to ensure that premium is maintained.

Across the globe workers are organising in places where it was once unthinkable, most notably in the giant tech companies like Amazon, where efforts to prevent workers organising have been considerable. We should all draw inspiration from their efforts.

Research in 2021 shows that young Irish people are very well-disposed to the idea of union representation, but they are not yet joining in significant numbers. Together, we should ensure that this changes in 2023, and that we encourage younger workers to join, and strengthen our hand in the collective bargaining process.

Ag obair le chéile, let’s keep the Fórsa voice strong in 2023.

Kevin Callinan, general secretary, Fórsa