Hundreds of health and care staff set for strike action after union vote

Hundreds of health and care staff are set for indefinite strike action following a vote by the national executive of Ireland’s largest public service trade union.

Fórsa said it has backed a proposal for indefinite strike action in a number of community and voluntary sector agencies funded by the HSE.

The action is likely to involve hundreds of health and care staff in a number of agencies selected by the union. The union has also committed to footing the wage costs of striking staff.

The action relates to so-called Section 39 agencies which provide a range of residential and day services for people with disabilities, mental health, addiction, domestic and sexual violence services, and other supports, under service level agreements with the HSE.

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Similarly, Section 56 agencies operate in a similar way for children’s services, funded by Tusla.

While these agencies are funded by the State, their employees in a range of health professional, clinical, clerical and administrative grades are on lesser terms and conditions than their HSE counterparts, Fórsa said.

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Fórsa general secretary and Irish Congress of Trade Unions president Kevin Callinan said: “As one of the main representative unions involved, Fórsa has decided to call time on the Government’s dragging of its own feet on this issue.

“The union’s executive has backed the decision to identify a number of these employments and to organise indefinite strike action to highlight this ongoing pay inequality, which simply cannot be sustained.

“Up to a third of experienced professional health and care staff are leaving their jobs in these agencies every year to take up better-remunerated employment with the HSE and elsewhere.

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“We will ballot for indefinite industrial action in a number of employments, and Fórsa will foot the wage costs of those staff who go on strike. Services will simply be brought to a halt. At this stage, no other course of action will drive the point home.”

Mr Callinan added that limited strike action by Fórsa members in Galway, Mayo, Cork and Kerry last year had not led to any meaningful action.