Section 39 workers to receive additional €1000 in pay
Section 39 health and social care workers have reached an agreement on pay restoration.
From April next year, staff will receive an additional €1000 in their pay with payments also to be made in the following two years.
The move follows negotiations with SIPTU representatives and officials from the HSE and Department of Health with the support of the Workplace Relations Commission.
SIPTU representatives will recommend the acceptance of the proposals, with the trade union saying "it is the best vehicle to achieve pay justice for all Section 39 workers".
The proposals will now be balloted on, following consultation with SIPTU members.
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “These proposals have the potential to provide members not only with money in their pocket but a clear plan for Section 39 organisation workers to have their pay restored in a manner which corresponds to their counterparts directly employed by the HSE.
“Under these proposals, members will receive an additional payment of €1000 in their pay packets from April 2019 which will go a long way to restore pay for thousands of Section 39 workers. Payments will also be made in 2020 and 2021.
These proposals ensure that, after a long and hard-fought campaign, our members working in Section 39 organisations will get full pay restoration.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Eddie Mullins, said: “Our members have fought, not only to have their salaries restored, but also to acknowledge a pay link with the public service.
"During this dispute, our members demonstrated great compassion and responsibility by doing everything in their power to achieve a legitimate objective without affecting on services to vulnerable clients. Our members now have a result and light at the end of the tunnel.”
Minister for Health, Simon Harris, and Minister of State with special responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath, welcomed also the agreement.
Minister Harris said: “I believe that what has been agreed is a good deal which will see those who had their pay cut in these organisations benefit from an initial increase of up to €1,000 on their salary in April 2019.
“It is particularly positive that this deal is structured so that those who are the lowest paid will see their pay restored the quickest.
"Based on the information available, it appears that almost 90% of staff who saw their pay cut will see on average three quarters of that pay reduction restored in 2019.”
Minister McGrath said he was "delighted" with the agreement, and said a validation and audit process will need to be carried out by the HSE "to ensure the funding sought by organisations is warranted and that pay reductions were applied".
"This was particularly important to me given that a majority of staff are employed in organisations which provide essential care and support for people with disabilities across the country.
"They deserve a fair deal and I believe that is what we have got," he said.
