Community and care sector workers set to take industrial action over pay

Community and care sector workers in Cork who provide what have been described as ‘some of our most vital services’ are set to take industrial action today and later this week.

Three unions are set to participate in the Valuing Care, Valuing Community strike action today and on Friday, including Siptu, Forsa and the INMO, with the support of the ICTU. Workers at the Irish Wheelchair Association, St Joseph’s Foundation, and EmployAbility are all set to strike today, while Enable Ireland’s Lavanagh Centre in Curraheen will take strike action on Friday.

Siptu organiser Adrian Kane, said that these workers “provide some of our most vital services, caring for the vulnerable and maintaining our communities”.

“Despite this, thousands of workers employed in community and section 39 organisations have been left in the dire situation of being on the same rate of pay since 2008, and left with no way of securing a rise, apart from taking the campaign of industrial action they have now embarked on.” 

He said the demands of the Valuing Care, Valuing Community campaign are simple.

“A pay rise for the first time in 14 years; safeguarding the vital services they provide and the return of the pay link which many of these workers had with the public service prior to 2008.”

He said organisations in the sector are also facing a staff retention crisis due to the uncompetitive nature of pay and conditions of employment.

“The solution to this situation is quite simple,” Mr Kane said.

“The Government must sit down with the unions which represent these workers and agree on a way forward that ensures they receive the pay increases they deserve and the services they provide are protected.”

He said that until the Government engages, the Valuing Care, Valuing Community campaign will be forced to expand and escalate its actions.

Speaking about how the cost-of- living crisis is impacting the workers, Socialist Party TD, Mick Barry, said: “The cost-of-living crisis is bearing down heavily on working people across the board but the pressures are unimaginable for workers who haven’t had a pay increase in 14 years.

“The Government is trying to squeeze out the gap here by claiming that the direct employers haven’t increased wages but it is the Government which is responsible for funding the employers and the funding hasn’t provided space for proper pay increases.

“The workers and their unions are holding the Government to account.”