CRC staff to strike despite access to public pension scheme

Staff at the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) are to strike over pension entitlements despite the Government’s decision to grant them access to a public service pension scheme following the collapse of the charity’s private plan.

Workers at the care centre for people and children with disabilities threatened industrial action after the board of the CRC unilaterally decided to cease making further contributions to the private pension scheme in place after the deficit grew to €2.3 million plus risk reserves of €2.7 million.

The board of the CRC asked the Government to permit staff to access the Single Public Service Pension Scheme (SPSPS), despite Minister for Health Simon Harris previously insisting it was “not possible” as the 44 individuals concerned were “ineligible”.

The CRC previously came under scrutiny over the size of a severance package paid to its former chief executive Paul Kiely on his retirement.

Last month’s move by the Government to grant access followed the presentation of a business case by the CRC to the HSE, and talks with the Department of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure. It was described by Minister for Health Simon Harris as a “pleasing outcome”.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, Impact trade union said its members had served notice of industrial action, which is due to commence from 9am on September 21st.

In a letter to the CRC’s human resources manager, Impact official Ian McDonnell said the industrial action was due to the CRC’s “unilateral decision to terminate the staff contributory pension scheme without any consultation or negotiation with staff”.

The union said the access to the public pension scheme “only represents a partial resolution to the closure of the scheme, and that a number of outstanding issues remain”.

Mr McDonnell said the outstanding issues include the “delivery of full accrued benefits for active and deferred members of the contributory scheme, [AND]addressing the benefits gap between the public service and contributory scheme”.

The industrial action means workers will cease their engagement with committees and working groups, suspend engagement with management on strategic planning, and will only respond to email necessary to maintain client services.