The membership subscription rate ceiling is to increase from January in line with the pay award increase under the extension to the Building Momentum pay agreement. This ensures that higher paid workers contribute their fair share of an increased contribution that lower paid workers are automatically deducted as their salary increases.

Under Rule 1(ii) of Appendix A the NEC has approved the increase of 6.5%, increasing Fórsa’s membership subscription ceiling to €425.30 from the 1^st January 2023. The ceiling ensures a limit to the amount that members are asked to pay in annual subscription to the union.

Subscription rates remain unchanged. The union’s general subscription rate for 2023 is 0.8% of basic salary up to a maximum of €425.30 (€35.44 per month) reflecting a maximum salary of €53,162.50. This downloadable excel spreadsheet illustrates how the subscription rate applies in a range of different salary bands. 

The union’s two other subscription rates are unaffected by the change. These are the legacy rate paid by those who were members of the former PSEU on 31st December 2017, and the 1% rate for new and existing CO related grades in the Civil Service who have access to the former CPSU Benefit Scheme which was carried over into Fórsa. Branch levies are unchanged but the ceiling, if applicable, has increased in line with the 6.5% increase in the general Fórsa membership subscription ceiling.

Benefits
On top of negotiated pay increases and protection when things go wrong at work, union members can benefit from an improved range of membership entitlements introduced when Fórsa was formed in 2018.

These include €5,000 in personal accident cover or €5,000 critical illness cover or death benefit, which also is also available to spouses of Fórsa members.

A €5,000 in illness benefit is available to members who are out of work for more than 12 months, and Fórsa also covers evacuation or repatriation expenses up to the value of €250,000 for members who become seriously ill or injured, or who die, while abroad.

That’s on top of a range of financial benefits, negotiated with external providers, which can mean big savings on financial products like car, home and travel insurance, pension benefits, salary protection and life cover.

Fórsa members can also avail of free counseling, legal advice and support helplines, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. And they can opt into our group scheme, which gives them access to huge savings on a wide range of everyday items and services including restaurants, retailers, hairdressers and coffee shops.

Get full details about membership benefits here.