Fórsa has lodged a claim for workers in community and voluntary agencies funded by the child and family protection agency Tusla. These are known as ‘section 56’ agencies.

It follows the union’s success at similar claims among HSE-funded ‘section 39’ agencies where workers had pay cuts imposed in line with those imposed on public servants from 2009. Pay restoration in section 39 agencies followed an agreement at the WRC between the HSE, health department and ICTU unions.

Because Tusla was established in 2014 some section 39 agencies switched to section 56 agencies and were funded by Tusla. They were not listed in the original union claim to the WRC for pay restoration in section 39s.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Chris Cully explained: “Fórsa has lodged the claim because it is only fair and equitable that those workers in section 56 agencies, who were subject to those cuts imposed by the HSE when they were section 39 agencies, have their pay levels restored.

“Fórsa is seeking the application of the terms of the section 39 WRC agreement to these agencies. Notwithstanding that the original cuts were implemented by the HSE prior to the establishment of Tusla, there is a liability on Tusla to restore funding to those agencies in order to allow for pay restoration,” she said.