The INMO, PNA, IMPACT and Siptu trade unions have begun a ballot of staff at St Aidan’s Day Care Services in Gorey, Co Wexford, for industrial action to protest the continued non-payment of salary increments. Members of IMPACT, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), the PNA and SIPTU are jointly balloting members on industrial action due to the non-payment of increments for the last number of years.
The closing date for the ballot is next Friday, 20th February.
In January 2013, the Labour Court recommended that staff be awarded their increments. However, St Aidan’s management and the HSE have still not addressed the issue.
St Aidan’s provides services for people with a wide range of disabilities, children with special needs and for older people. They currently provide services for over 300 people in North Wexford including residential care, day services for the elderly and for adults with special needs, pre-school education for children with special needs, rehabilitative training and respite care in the community.
Staff have already taken a pay cut and have agreed to reduced sick pay entitlements. However, the non-payment of increments has been described as “a step too far” and staff decided unanimously to proceed with a ballot for industrial action.
Shay Clinton of IMPACT explained “Due to funding difficulties over the last five years funding has reduced significantly and some staff have not been replaced. The existing staff have co-operated with the reconfiguration of services and have maintained services despite the funding difficulties. A recent HIQA inspection reported favourably on service provision within the Care Centre.
“Staff have demonstrated their determination to adapt to more straitened circumstances and have made huge efforts to ensure that the service is maintained. However, their contracted salaries have not been paid in full since 2009. That is why we have moved to ballot for industrial action" he said.
Dave Morris of SIPTU added ”Staff have been exceptionally patient in pursuing their legal entitlement to their contracted salaries. The Labour Court determined that the staff should be paid but that recommendation has not been implemented. The staff have been left with no alternative but to embark on a campaign of industrial action in order to achieve their agreed salaries. Staff will continue to have the care of the service users as their main priority during this period."
Michael Hayes of PNA said "This has been a very difficult situation for those dedicated staff working in St Aidan's. Unfortunately, all possible avenues have been explored without any resolution. Staff cannot be expected to continue working without proper pay, something that the Labour Court has agreed with. All that staff are seeking are the payments they are entitled to. It is very regrettable that such action is required to try to resolve an issue as clear cut as this one."
