Relief across community and voluntary sector in Cork as planned strike action suspended following pay proposal

Workers in multiple locations across Cork have expressed their relief that a planned strike calling on the government to end pay inequality across the community and voluntary sector agencies was suspended following a proposal from government on pay.

An agreement was made in the early hours of Tuesday morning to suspend the planned strike following talks between unions and government representatives at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) which ended shortly after 3am.

Those who were due to take part in the strike action in Cork included St Luke’s Nursing Home, Cobh Community Hospital, Enable Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and St Joseph’s Foundation.

Nationwide, up to 5,000 workers employed across 18 community and voluntary agencies were due to take part in the planned strike before the decision to suspend the strike after a proposal on pay was made.

Proposals include an offer from government of an 8% increase in funding for pay. A 5% offer was previously rejected by unions.

It includes a 3% pay rise backdated to April 1 this year, another 2% on November 1 and a further 3% on March 1 this year.

Further talks have also been proposed and reengagement between the parties is expected in December.

Fórsa, SIPTU and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) had called on the Government to come to the negotiating table and “end the pay inequality” that had led to the planned strike action.

Workers had voted to take industrial action following a breakdown of WRC talks back in July about the pay disparity between workers employed directly by the State and their counterparts working in Section 39 (health and disability services), Section 56 (services to children) and Section 10 (homeless services) community services.

Speaking to The Echo, Liam Conway, Cork-based industrial relations officer for the INMO, said the proposal made has been “largely welcomed by members and organisations involved in the dispute”.

He said there will now be a process of engaging in consultation with INMO members and a balloting period in relation to the proposal after which the INMO will receive a mandate from its members in relation to the proposal and the acceptance or rejection of same.

“It is the view of the organisations involved that we would be recommending acceptance of the proposal and further discussion will take place in relation to key alignment principal and ensuring that workers in Section 39 organisations receive equal pay for equal work, not just but going forward and this process is to commence shortly as set out in the WRC agreement,” Mr Conway said.

Area Manager South for the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) Martin McCarthy expressed his relief that Union officials agreed to defer industrial action.

A statement released by the IWA on Tuesday read: “Union officials have agreed to bring an offer of an 8% pay increase for IWA employees and the wider Section 39 employees alongside a commitment to continue meaningful talks for re-linking the pay rates with that of their HSE counterparts to their members.

“However, the Irish Wheelchair Association slams the government for allowing widespread disruption, fear, and angst to spread across their community stating that it could have been completely avoided.

“It is heartbreaking to witness the unnecessary challenges faced by their service users and employees as a result of this ordeal.”