Next Government must restore Section 39 workers’ pay
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly has said it is beyond time for Section 39 workers to have their pay restored.
This comes as thousands of workers in Section 39 organisations are taking industrial action today.
Deputy Kelly said:
“The Labour Party is fully behind Section 39 workers and their unions SIPTU and Fórsa in their decision to take strike action today.
“The current Government has spent years boasting about the success of a growing and stable economy while it denies vital pay restoration to thousands of workers in Section 39 organisations.
“I have been raising in the Dáil the concerns of Section 39 workers across organisations such as hospices, community care and rehab facilities, and the Irish Wheelchair Association. These bodies took pay cuts through their block grant in the crash alongside similar reductions in the public service but have not seen similar pay restoration through their grants.
“It’s beyond time for Minister to engage with Section 39 workers and ensure this situation is resolved. Neither recent budgets nor the HSE service plan have addressed this problem.
“The sums are not insurmountable, the representatives of the workers are open to talks, but instead Fine Gael have been burying their heads in the sand on this issue.
“The next Government, whenever it is formed, must agree to the pay restoration of Section 39 workers.”