Preparation for indefinite strike action, due to commence on Tuesday 17th October, continued this week. Ahead of the strike we are establishing local strike committees and producing leaflets and placards for distribution to each strike location.
A detailed FAQ, outlining answers to potential questions you might have is now available, you can read it here.
The strike action was announced last week at a joint press conference, held by Fórsa, SIPTU and the INMO. Watch a video of Fórsa member Ellie Horgan, an occupational therapist, speaking at the press conference and outlining the reasons she supports the strike here.
99.5% of members balloted voted in favour of this indefinite strike. It will involve thousands of health and community workers in a variety of grades and in multiple locations, bringing services to a halt. We have been encouraged by the statements of support issued by numerous other organisations including Enable Ireland, and The Wheel – Ireland’s National Association of Charities. Read those statements here and here.
Workers in the following employments will take indefinite strike action from Monday 17th October:
- Ardeen Cheshire Ireland
- Ability West
- Cheshire Ireland
- Cheshire Dublin
- Cheshire Home Newcastle West
- Co-action West Cork
- Cobh Hospital
- Daughters Of Charity Child and Family Service
- DePaul Ireland
- Don Bosco Care
- Enable Ireland (nationwide, including Cork, Tralee, East Coast and Midwest regions)
- Family Resource Centres
- Irish Wheelchair Association
- Kerry Parents and Friends
- St. Catherines Association Ltd
- St. Josephs Foundation
- St. Lukes Nursing Home
- Western Care Association
The ballot for industrial action took place following the breakdown of WRC talks in July and follows years of pay disparity between workers in Section 39 (health and disability services) Section 56 (services to children) and Section 10 (homeless services) and their counterparts employed directly by the state.
While these agencies are largely state-funded, workers employed in a range of health professional, clinical, clerical and administrative grades, are on lesser terms and conditions than their HSE counterparts. The pay differential is more than 10%, although advocacy group The Wheel say the difference could be as much as 20%.
Fórsa’s head of Health and Welfare Ashley Connolly said: “This is the action of last resort, and it has been a difficult decision for these workers, but they’ve been left with no more options.
“The Government has been dragging its feet on the issue for years, while making conciliatory noises to health workers who urgently need pay improvements. Their colleagues are walking out the door for better terms elsewhere, and waiting lists for the services these agencies offer continue to grow as a result.
“There’s a yawning pay gap of more than 10%. Services cannot be sustained as long as that continues,“ she said.
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