Fórsa has today (Wednesday) served notice of industrial action on public health employers, as Ireland’s largest public service trade union continues its preparations for action in the dispute over public service pay.
The union confirmed that formal notice has now issued to employers in the health sector, including the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations. Industrial action is set to commence on Wednesday 30th September.
The notice sets out a range of initial, targeted actions to be taken by Fórsa members employed by the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations. These include:
- Working strictly to contract, role and grade, including refusing duties assigned to another grade
- Refusing overtime or work outside agreed contracted hours
- Withdrawing cooperation from HSE and Tusla restructuring and implementation processes
- Refusing to cover duties attached to vacant or unfilled posts
- Refusing to complete national financial, data and performance reports
- Refusing engagement with external private management consultants
- Refusing cooperation with proposals to extend working patterns across a seven-day roster
While the Industrial Relations Act requires one week’s notice of industrial action, Fórsa said it is observing the established convention in health services by serving three weeks’ notice. The union said the additional notice period reflects the essential nature of health services and allows employers to make appropriate contingency arrangements.
The notice is the first in a series expected to issue to public service employers in advance of nationwide industrial action. Fórsa represents members across health, local government, the civil service, education and State agencies, and said it expects employers in other sectors are to be notified in the coming weeks.
More than 62,000 Fórsa members voted for industrial action last month. The result, announced last week, showed 96.6% of members voting in favour of industrial action, up to and including a full withdrawal of labour, on a turnout of 72.6%.
Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division represents 32,000 members working in public health services. The union’s head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the ballot result represents a decisive mandate from members and reflects growing frustration at the absence of a credible public service pay offer following the expiry of the previous agreement: “Our members provide vital public services every day. Serving notice today marks the beginning of a planned and proportionate escalation by public service workers who have made clear that the Government’s current position on pay is not sustainable,” she said.
Fórsa national secretary Ryan McKinney added: “Fórsa members have voted overwhelmingly to act because Government has failed to engage seriously on a pay offer that addresses the pressures faced by public service workers. They did not take the decision to engage in industrial action lightly. They expressed themselves very clearly in the ballot.
“Fórsa remains available for meaningful engagement. The responsibility now rests with Government to come forward with a credible proposal capable of resolving this dispute and avoiding disruption across public services,” he said.
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