Tipperary council supports Section 39 organisation workers' campaign for pay parity with HSE

Tipperary County Council’s elected members have thrown their support behind a campaign to restore pay and working conditions for community healthcare and social care workers in Section 39 organisations to the same level as equivalent HSE staff.

A motion was unanimously passed at the Council’s December meeting requesting the local authority to write to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly voicing its support for Section 39 organisations and their staff and calling on the Minister to restore full pay parity and parity of employment conditions to these workers with their HSE counter parts.

The motion, tabled by Tipperary Cllr Annemarie Ryan, explained that until 2008 workers in these agencies received pay increases under national wage agreements.

At the onset of the financial crisis, they were subject to pay cuts in line with the same cuts applied to public sector pay.

However, many Section 39 workers have still not received pay restoration and are looking for pay parity with Section 38 workers (HSE workers) who perform the same duties.

Cllr Ryan’s motion further explained that Section 39 agencies, which are funded under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, provide a range of residential and day services for people with disabilities, mental health issues, addiction as well as services for victims of domestic and sexual violence under service level agreements with the HSE.

The motion added that this pay inequality is leading to recruitment issues, staff burn out and a reduction in the vital services they provide.

A strike by 5,000 community healthcare and social care workers employed by Section 39 organisations was called off at the 11th hour in October after an 8% pay offer was made at talks.

Cllr Ryan said workers in Section 39 organisations still haven’t achieved full pay parity with HSE counterparts and this was why she wanted the Council to write to Minister Donnelly to keep “the issue to the fore”.

FF Cllr Seamus Hanafin pointed out there was also a disparity in other working conditions between HSE staff and staff of Section 39 organisations.

They didn’t get the same travel allowances as HSE staff and there were zero hours employment contracts operating in Section 39 organisations. For example, if a person they were giving support to was hospitalised, they didn’t get paid for the hours they didn't work.

He argued the motion should seek parity with the HSE in other employment conditions as well as pay.

Cllr Hanafin also requested the motion seek that there be staffing pay parity between all Section 39 organisations as this is currently not the case.

Clonmel Cllr Pat English said it was “essential” Section 39 organisation workers get back to parity with HSE workers, who in many cases they worked alongside.

It was agreed to insert the amendments proposed by Cllr Hanafin in the final wording of the motion sent to Minister Donnelly.