Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division has raised its concerns with the HSE on the continued use of recruitment agencies to fill positions within the health body, and the union’s growing alarm at the failure of management to adhere to agreed recruitment practices.

Fórsa and the HSE have been engaged in a ‘recruitment and reform’ project since the August 2022. Fórsa maintains that recruitment to the HSE is a core function of staff within the HSE.

However, the union has become concerned by its recent discovery of an increase in the number of external recruitment agencies that appear to be operating, without agreement, in what appears to be partnership with the HSE.

In a letter to the HSE’s director of human resources, national secretary Ashley Connolly questioned the HSE adherence to agreed recruitment practices and highlighted the number of breaches that have been brought to her attention over the last few weeks.   

Ashley said most of the recruitment notices appear to indicate that the positions will be filled by agency workers, and that successful candidates will not be directly employed by the HSE, which she said is a ‘complete breach’ of existing agreements.

Fórsa has sought written confirmation from the HSE that these practices will immediately cease, and to reconfirm the HSE’s commitment to direct employment.

Ashley has sought affirmation of the HSE’s commitment to engagement with local officials and representatives around the use of agency staff in unique circumstances, and assurance that all vacancies will be filled through direct employment in the first instance.

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Fórsa and other health unions have once again pressed senior health officials for definitive timelines regarding outstanding payments to workers due under the Building Momentum Pay Agreement.

While some health staff have received payment and any applicable arrears, the majority of members working for mainstream HSE are yet to receive payments due under Building Momentum. Following union engagement, HSE management assured health sector unions that the remaining health workers should begin to receive the 1% payment, including arrears due from the 1^st October 2022 under the Pay Agreement from the last payroll in March, rolling into first payroll in April. 

HSE management has also committed to providing further information as to when members can expect to receive the 2% due from the 1^st March 2023 at a meeting on 28^th March, and stated that pensioners should be brought in line no later than the middle of April 2023.

In December 2022 health sector unions sought an urgent meeting with senior HSE officials to get clarification on the expected date of payment and ensure all healthcare workers were paid in full for all outstanding monies due to them under agreements prior to Christmas.

As a result, meetings were held and management confirmed that arrears on basic and premia pay would be paid before Christmas for the following areas: East, South East, South, Mid-West, Midlands and North West.

It was also communicated during the same meetings that due to constraints, the HSE have to manually apply new rates and arrears on the system for two areas - West & North East – and would be able to do so only for basic pay due in December. The system was to be updated automatically in January with any additional arrears due e.g. premia pay for these areas.

HSE management further clarified that in respect of the 1% increase due from October 1st, the increases would, with appropriate arrears, take place in the first quarter of 2023. This is in contrast with other parts of the civil and public service where the ‘back-payments’ from February 2022, as well as the 1% increase due last October have already been rolled out.

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Fórsa has called on the Minister for Health to establish a high-level forum to rapidly progress the statutory regulation of psychologists as a matter of urgency.

The union made the call following to the broadcast, earlier this month, of the RTÉ Investigates programme, which focused on the lack of statutory registration for psychologists, and problems arising from underinvestment in the State’s disability services. Fórsa represents health and social care professionals, including psychologists.

Fórsa national secretary Linda Kelly said: “The union commends the families who spoke out about the current problems arising from underinvestment in the State’s disability services on the recent broadcast of RTÉ Investigates (Monday 6th March).

“Statutory registration for psychologists has not yet been established in Ireland, and the term ‘psychologist’ is currently not a protected title. The current situation is open to exploitative practises, as RTÉ’s broadcast illustrates.

“Statutory registration for psychologists will eventually play an invaluable role in protecting vulnerable members of the public from unqualified individuals practising as psychologists,” she said.

Linda added: “Despite pressure from Fórsa over more than 12 months, the HSE has yet to produce a workforce plan for Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). A recent staff census reveals that there is a very significant vacancy rate within the range of necessary professions for CDNTs.

“The absence of a HSE/Department of Health plan for how to properly staff these services, and to meet both current and future demand, is driving the high vacancy rate,” she said.

The Psychologists Registration Board was established in 2017. Fórsa continues to engage regularly on the issue of statutory registration for psychologists with the State’s health regulator, CORU.

Linda added: “However, based on Fórsa’s most recent engagement with CORU, the union remains extremely concerned that that it may be 2030 before any register opens for psychologists. Even the most optimistic projections suggest the register is still up to five years away.

“Fórsa recognises the hard work of its highly dedicated psychology members. They continue to do their best to deliver highly valuable services despite the risk to staff, children and families caused by current staff shortages,” she said.

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The ballot of Fórsa members at the Louth County Group of hospitals took place due to an ongoing dispute because of staff shortages in Louth hospitals, and the failure of hospital management to recruit urgently needed staff.

Fórsa representatives met with management of the hospital group yesterday (Thursday) in a bid to resolve the dispute.

Members backed the action by a margin of 98.4%, securing a mandate to engage in industrial action, up to and including strike action.

Ballot turnout was close to 60%, comprising of health and social care professionals (‘HSCPs’), clerical and administrative grades across the hospital group.

The Louth County Group of hospitals includes Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and the Cottage hospital in Drogheda, and Louth County Hospital in Dundalk.

Fórsa official Lynn Coffey said: “This ballot became necessary because Fórsa members are working in unsafe environments as a direct consequence of management inaction.

“Demand for services continue to increase, while staff shortages place incredible pressure on staff. It can’t go on. Fórsa has continued to raise the issue of declining numbers in these grades and professions since summer 2022.

“Management has failed to replenish exiting staff, seem happy to leave posts vacant and have ignored requests for additional staff made on a business needs basis from teams within the hospital group and Fórsa.

"Recruitment drives for other medical professions across the hospitals have delivered good and solid results. New clinical staff need support from Fórsa grades.

“Fórsa members have continued to work within teams and departments experiencing staff shortages, working through breaks, covering vacant posts, and extending their working hours in order to meet the demands of service. The system is stretched too thin,” she said.

Lynn added that, following yesterday's meeting with hospital management, the union awaits written communication from management, detailing proposed solutions to the recruitment issues raised by Fórsa, which will be considered by the union's Health and Welfare Executive Committee.

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A senior delegation of Fórsa travelled to Washington DC last week for a seven-day visit, during which they had a series of meetings with US unions and political and employer representatives.

The Fórsa delegation, comprised of the union’s general secretary Kevin Callinan and the five senior elected officers of the union’s National Executive Committee (NEC), travelled to gather information on the latest US labour organising strategies, to comparatively examine the legislative developments on collective bargaining coverage in the US and EU, and provide a trade union analysis on the Irish political situation as the Good Friday Agreement approaches its 25^th anniversary.

Kevin Callinan said the Irish presence in Washington in the week of St Patrick’s Day has become a key fixture in the Irish political calendar.

He added: “Government officials and employers have, for some years, been heavily invested in the St. Patrick's events in Washington. It made sense to insert a trade union voice in the conversations, if only to show our determination to hold them to account in relation to the commitments contained in last year’s high-level report on collective bargaining, and on the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, which is due to be transposed into Irish law by 2024.

“In the context of the continuing parallel developments to improve collective bargaining coverage on both sides of the Atlantic, an Irish trade union presence was both practical and necessary, as there is always a host of discussions helping to determine Ireland’s economic future,” he said.

Strategies

Kevin explained that the initial idea for the Fórsa visit came from an “unlikely” source: “The Republican-leaning pollster Frank Luntz spoke to an Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) audience shortly before last year’s US mid-term elections.

“He predicted a Republican landslide, casting US President Joe Biden as too old and suggesting the Democrats were in disarray. I questioned how well this analysis sat with the buoyant state of the labour market and, in fairness to him, he said ‘you should get to Washington to see what the labour unions are doing on the ground’ to help Democratic party candidates.

“I had also heard American labour activist Liz Shuler speak about the new approaches to grassroots political campaigning that had helped to ensure Luntz's prediction fell wide of the mark. On that basis I became more convinced it would be worthwhile to visit and learn more about the methods involved.

“We met with our US union colleagues to talk about their campaign approaches and about parallel efforts - in the US and the EU - to increase the number of workers with access to collective bargaining for wages and work conditions.

“President Biden called upon on Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act in his State of the Union address in February, while the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages is due to be transposed into Irish law by 2024.

“AFL-CIO legislative counsel Bart Sheard told us the absence of a super majority, together with the filibuster tactic in the Senate, makes it very unlikely that the PRO Act will pass, although the legislation has still been included on the list of Democrat priorities keeping it in sharp focus.

“AFL-CIO assistant political director Dave Carpio told us how the union has tried a lot of different approaches to political work over the last decade. As a membership organisation they have had to take account of the fact that there are supporters of both the Republican and Democratic parties in membership.

“They focus on issues targeting voters by appealing to their sense of equity, and a major campaigning focus now is on worksite-based conversations.

“We also met with representatives of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA!) and our US counterparts, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

“The message we kept hearing from our union colleagues was that ‘Biden has been the greatest ever President for the labour movement.’  US union leaders made favourable comparisons with Obama and even FD Roosevelt, although Biden was characterised as less patrician and more at home with labour issues and their advocates,” he said.

Networks

Kevin said another focus of the visit was to share a trade union analysis and perspective on the Irish political situation, with a particular focus on the peace process, including the very recent developments relating to the Northern Ireland protocol, which has significant implications for the northern economy and its workforce.

The Fórsa delegation took the opportunity to meet with a number of senior Irish political leaders, in addition to a number of US politicians and representatives.

“It is an unavoidable fact that the presence of so many Irish visitors to Washington, and the extensive list of social events, brings people together in a way that provides an opportunity and a setting for conversations that would not happen otherwise. I wouldn't want to overstate it but the scale of networking has to be seen to be believed and there's no doubt that, in some cases at least, positive developments will ensue,” he said.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has issued a response to the Government's publication of a proposed overhaul of the jobseeker’s benefit system which could change the payment structure to make it directly proportional to the recipient’s previous earnings.

The plan would link a person's jobseeker’s payment to their previous earnings and work history and is designed to soften the income shock that a person may face if they suddenly lose their job.

Speaking at the launch of ICTU’s policy position paper, ICTU President and Fórsa General Secretary Kevin Callinan emphasised that income protection for workers is exceptionally weak in Ireland compared to the rest of the EU.

“Despite workers paying pay-related social insurance contributions when in employment, they only receive a flat weekly payment if they lose their job, fall sick, or have a baby. In almost all other 27 member States, workers receive a percentage of their previous pay to protect them against a fall in living standards during short gaps in employment,” he said.

Kevin added that post-pandemic there is now a “heightened public demand to strengthen our frayed social safety net” that cannot and should not be ignored.

Ireland is the only country in the OECD not to require employers to contribute to a worker’s pension and are one of the last of the EU’s 27 member States to make sick pay mandatory.

ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy raised some areas of concern from the publication but strongly supported the move from a flat-rate to a pay-related benefit payment for workers.

“If done right, this move will bring us in to line with the rest of the EU and allow workers continue to pay their mortgage and other bills while they look for a new job.

“However, ICTU is very concerned some proposals under consideration, if not amended, will disproportionally and significantly weaken the existing income protection of low-wage part-time workers and workers with caring responsibilities, the majority of whom are women.

“The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and our affiliated unions have published a policy paper setting out our position on pay-related benefits and our recommended changes to what is being proposed. We look forward to engaging with Government to get the design of this significant social policy reform right for workers and their families,” he said.

Read “The Social Wage: Pay related benefit for unemployed workers” here.

Fórsa is supporting research examining the workplace experiences of people and their partners who have experienced early pregnancy loss, and is encouraging members to take part in a survey to assist with this.  

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has commissioned the PLACES (Pregnancy Loss in Workplaces) project to establish whether policy interventions are required in the workplace to better support people following early pregnancy loss under 24 weeks’ gestation. Led by Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, researchers from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at Cork University Maternity Hospital and University College Cork and University of Galway are examining workplace experiences of people who have had a pregnancy loss. 

As part of this project, the research team would like to hear from people and their partners experienced a pregnancy loss, whilst in paid employment, in the last five years. (A pregnancy loss can include ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or miscarriage, before 24 weeks’ gestation.) You can take part in the survey here. 

Fórsa has previously called for the introduction of a reproductive health leave scheme to support members managing early pregnancy loss, fertility treatments and other reproductive health related matters, after delegates at Fórsa’s national conference unanimously backed a motion in support of reproductive health leave last May.

Fórsa national secretary and equality officer Ashley Connolly said that for far too long, both women and men have had to remain silent in their workplaces about the grief of pregnancy loss or reproductive health matters.

“We know our members are using sick leave and annual leave to try to manage reproductive health issues, causing unnecessary stress and anxiety. This is a workplace issue, we should afford empathy and dignity to those going through this experience, supporting workers when they need it the most,” she said.

To date, the PLACES Project has reviewed international legislation to see what laws other countries have around leave from work following pregnancy loss and have reached out to some companies in Ireland to find out about their policies regarding pregnancy loss. To add to their knowledge and understanding of what kind of leave or other supports are needed, they are participants to share their workplace experiences of pregnancy loss.  

National secretary Linda Kelly the research provided a great starting point to have conversations around workplace supports.

“This is a workplace issue and we must afford empathy and dignity to those going through this experience and ensuring accommodation is made for workers at this time,” she said.

Fórsa’s Róisín McKane acknowledged the difficulty and sensitivity of navigating early pregnancy loss in the workplace.

“Eary pregnancy loss is a hugely sensitive and difficult matter that many navigate in silence. We trust that this research will highlight early pregnancy loss as a workplace issue,” she said.

Ashley called on members to take part in this vital research.  

“It is crucially important for employers to support workers when they need the most. This survey will help shape these supports and change how we think about reproductive healthcare in Ireland,” she said.

More information on the study can be found here. 

For support around pregnancy loss please visit:

• Pregnancy & Infant Loss Ireland: https://pregnancyandinfantloss.ie/
• Cork Miscarriage Information and Resources: https://www.corkmiscarriage.com/
• A Little Lifetime Foundation https://alittlelifetime.ie/
• The Miscarriage Association of Ireland: https://miscarriage.ie/
• Féileacáin: Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland: https://feileacáin.ie

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The next instalment of the Fórsa Skills Academy ‘Lunch and Learn’ series will take place on Friday 31^st March from 1pm – 2pm, focusing on data protection.

Fórsa’s Data Protection Officer Martina O’Leary will host the hour-long virtual session, providing members with knowledge and key information on data protection to support them in their union work.

Whilst these sessions are predominantly for information, there will be opportunities for participants to ask questions via the chat function.

The ‘Lunch and Learn’ series aims to give members the knowledge to support them as a union member or representative whilst supplementing the broad range of training programmes currently being offered by Skills Academy.

The virtual sessions will take place on the last Friday of very month from 1pm – 2pm, exploring different topics.

Members interested in attending should register their interest here.

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Fórsa joined the Raise the Roof action outside Leinster House last Tuesday March 21^st to protest the lifting of the eviction ban.

Fórsa are members of the Raise the Roof steering group who organised the protest.

The campaign also wrote to TDs and Senators about the impact of lifting the eviction ban without first putting in place measures to prevent people being forced into homelessness.

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The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) marked the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination earlier this week with a commitment to stand against racism and to promote inclusive workplaces.

In the joint statement on Tuesday (21^st March), ICTU and Ibec said Ireland had a very diverse labour market, with migrants and people from ethnic minorities playing key roles across the economy and the public services, particularly the health service.

“Despite huge strides in terms of equality legislation and positive developments, research has shown that we have much to work on to enhance the experience of migrants and ethnic minorities in our workplaces. A 2021 IHREC report, points to Travellers, Roma, Migrants and Refugees being more likely to face restrictions in accessing the labour market; experience barriers in occupational attainment; have lower pay, reduced job security and poor working conditions; and are more exposed to work-related inequality and discrimination,” the statement said.

The Traveller community has the highest unemployment rate in the workforce at almost 80%.

A recent Pavee Point and Maynooth University report also finds that many Roma face significant inequalities in the workplace and points to actions needed to stop racism, discrimination, and possible exploitation.

Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec said an open and tolerant society was “irrefutably a key driver for social and economic wellbeing and success.”

“Experience has shown that the diverse workforces that underpin the Irish labour market have helped to strengthen talent pools, boost productivity, increase creativity and innovation, all of which have contributed to Ireland’s competitiveness and growth in recent decades. Despite this, research tells us that we have more work to do to ensure our workplaces are welcoming to a wide culturally diverse community of individuals.

“We must remain vigilant to racism, harassment and racial discrimination and ensure that it has no place in our workplaces, and that it is not allowed to be part of any narrative or to undermine the positive actions undertaken,” he said.

Owen Reidy, ICTU General Secretary added: “There are a small number of very vocal groups here organising to sew their hate and division amongst our communities and workplaces. We are confident that the vast majority of Irish people do not support them and stand for an inclusive and democratic Ireland."

Mr. Reidy said ICTU has committed to building solidarity between working people of all backgrounds and to work towards ensuring that their message never gains mainstream traction in communities and workplaces.

“Further investment in workplace integration can help make our workplaces more effective roles for wider society,” he added.

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The Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) will be hosting a seminar on 'Job quality and new data from the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) 2021’ at Fórsa offices on the 29th of March at 15:30.

Agnès Parent-Thirion, Senior Research Manager in the Working Life Unit at Eurofound will present her findings from the research. Subsequently, a discussion will be open to the floor where the chairperson, Ciarán Nugent, NERI economist will present questions to the speaker.

The survey includes over 70,000 workers in 36 European countries. This includes the EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

If you wish to attend the seminar you can register by clicking HERE:

If you wish to attend remotely, please contact louisa.obrien@nerinstitute.net.

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Fórsa members can now save 50% on their AA Roadside Rescue plan, through a new and exclusive union negotiated scheme.

This new AA Roadside Rescue offer provides for 24/7 roadside breakdown assistance in Ireland and the UK for just €6 a month, and will provide cover whether driving or as a passenger.

This new offer can be accessed exclusively through this portal.

Contact the AA here for more information.

Concerning reports from charities and food banks in recent weeks show women are being forced to choose between food and buying period products.

Amanda Quinn, finance administrator with the Quarryvale Family Resource Centre in Clondalkin, Dublin spoke to RTÉ earlier this month about the growing financial pressure people are facing in this regard.

"It's not a luxury product. It's an essential item, but it's not the priority unfortunately. The priority is food, heating the house and electricity, and of course as we know with the cost of both increasing, period poverty is real. We're experiencing it here in our food banks," she said. 

Ms Quinn also said the embarrassment factor in requesting such products from the centre can be particularly difficult to see and called on Government to do more.

"I'm signing up women and they're almost embarrassed to ask 'do you have sanitary pads? Do you provide tampons?' and of course we do. There is such a demand. Period poverty is so real,” she said.

Charities have warned that the cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated period poverty, as the demand for menstrual products distributed by charities has increased.

Data from Bloody Good Period, a charity that provides period products to those unable to buy them otherwise in the UK, found that there was a 78% increase in demand for their products during the first quarter of 2022, compared to the same period in 2020.

 The charity also says it expects this increase in demand to continue to rise as a greater number of people have limited disposable income as essential items, such as electricity, gas, and fuel, take up a larger proportion of their budgets.

The RTÉ article cited further concerning figures stating 60% of young girls have missed days at school due to their periods.

Fórsa has been calling for all employers to do more and take real action on the matter, including in schools that are meant to be the centre of learning and progression.

The union is seeking discussions with the Department of Education to seek the introduction of menstrual welfare policies.

Fórsa says schools and education, should be to the forefront in putting menstrual health policies into place for female employees.

“Doing so would set a clear example to all regarding the importance of menstrual health and would allow schools lead and educate by setting example,” according to Fórsa.

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