Fórsa has told HSE management that the union’s response will be “swift and decisive” if there is any move to suspend the health service job evaluation scheme for admin grades. The warning was delivered at a recent meeting of the union-management oversight body that monitors compliance with the Public Sector Stability Agreement (PSSA).

The union also complained that a recent circular on ‘affordable planned growth’ in the health service was issued without consultation with health service unions. Fórsa’s head of health, Éamonn Donnelly said the instruction amounted to “a health service recruitment moratorium in all but name,” though this was denied by the HSE’s national finance director.

Donnelly said he’d been assured that the job evaluation scheme was not suspended, but said local management might seek to interpret the circular in this way. “Inevitably, management in some quarters, will claim that the job evaluation scheme is on hold. This is not the case. If it was, our reaction would be swift and decisive,” he said.

He also said Fórsa would instruct staff not to carry out duties associated with posts vacated on foot of the circular, at least until there had been discussions and agreement with the union.

The job evaluation scheme, which is currently open to clerical and admin grades III to VI, was reactivated in late 2016 on foot of a Fórsa campaign, which included a ballot for industrial action. It was extended to staff in Tusla in earlier this year.