Thousands Of Community Health Workers To Strike Next Month

Monday, 25 September 2023 12:20

By Caoimhe Harney

The decision to strike follows ballots carried out by Fórsa, the INMO and SIPTU.

Workers in community and voluntary sector organisations, funded by the Health Service Executive and other State agencies, are to take indefinite strike action from Tuesday 17th October.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), said the strike action will involve thousands of health and community workers in a variety of grades and in multiple locations, bringing services to a halt.

The organisations that will be impacted by the strike action include Enable Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Family Resource Centres.

Unions say that health and social care professionals employed in agencies funded by the HSE are paid significantly less than equivalent workers employed directly by the HSE and other State bodies.

The decision to strike follows ballots carried out by Fórsa, the INMO and SIPTU.

All three unions said ballot returns showed a high level of participation in the ballot, and overwhelming support for industrial action, up to and including strikes.

The ballot took place following the breakdown of talks at the Workplace Relations Commission in July.

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