Fórsa has received confirmation that the pay increases due under the Building Momentum agreement will be paid out to most health staff before Christmas.

The group of health unions were seeking urgent clarification on the expected date of payment to ensure all healthcare workers were paid in full for all outstanding amounts due to them under agreements prior to Christmas, and sought an urgent meeting with HSE management on the same.

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 will 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, and the restoration of pay for Hospital Consultants applicable from 1st July, these increases will, with appropriate arrears, take place in the first quarter of 2023. Updates on the progress of the same will be received in the first week of January.

Separately, Fórsa has raised concern that employers are refusing to make the payment across the Section 38 sector until they receive the funding in advance from the HSE.

The union has sought an urgent update on the matter to ensure payments are made to staff there before the end of the year, and is aware of multiple meetings being convened between employers and the HSE to try and find a quick solution.

Fórsa also raised this issue at a recent meeting of the Health Oversight Body and the National Joint Council for an accelerated response on the same.