Richard Boyd Barrett: 27,000 Section 39 Workers Still Await 8% Pay Rise
Richard Boyd Barrett criticised the government over its treatment of 27,000 section 39 workers, who have not received an eight percent pay rise agreed in the WRC and lack promised parity with directly employed health service staff. He said many home care workers continue to earn less than they did in 2008 after austerity cuts and have not received cost-of-living increases.
He asked where the government's respect is for section 39 workers, noting they still have not received the eight percent rise agreed in the WRC and remain without parity with other health workers.
He highlighted home care workers in Ballymun who look after people with dementia and disabilities, saying some are paid less per hour now than they were in 2008 because austerity cuts were never restored and cost-of-living increases have not been applied.
He said the minister has brought the issue forward and that, to his understanding, the WRC suspended talks for the duration of the general election. He expressed hope that those talks will resume very quickly.
He urged swift resumption of negotiations with a view to achieving a just resolution and ensuring the pay increases owed to section 39 workers are delivered.
Allegations about pay and parity
He asked where the government's respect is for section 39 workers, noting they still have not received the eight percent rise agreed in the WRC and remain without parity with other health workers.
Impact on home care workers
He highlighted home care workers in Ballymun who look after people with dementia and disabilities, saying some are paid less per hour now than they were in 2008 because austerity cuts were never restored and cost-of-living increases have not been applied.
WRC talks and election suspension
He said the minister has brought the issue forward and that, to his understanding, the WRC suspended talks for the duration of the general election. He expressed hope that those talks will resume very quickly.
Call for a just resolution
He urged swift resumption of negotiations with a view to achieving a just resolution and ensuring the pay increases owed to section 39 workers are delivered.
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Transcript
earlier on that you care about workers where is this government's respect for 27,000 section 39 workers who look after the disabled the elderly and the vulnerable who still have not received the eight percent pay rise uh that was agreed in the wrc who still do not have the parity that was promised with other uh workers who are employed directly by the health service i was talking to home care workers who are section 39 workers uh this morning who work in ballymun with the vulnerable with people with dementia with people with disabilities some of them are getting a less hourly rate and they're low paid workers than they were getting in 2008 when the austerity cuts were imposed on them they've never had them restored they have never got cost of living increases and they still haven't got their eight percent what sort of respect are you showing for 27 000 section 39 workers in not ensuring they get the pay increases they deserve the minister um minister norma foley has brought that issue and we anticipate that this issue now will be dealt with in the context of the wrc my understanding is the wrc and suspended talks for the duration of the general election um my understanding is and i would hope that those talks would resume very very quickly with a view together to getting a resolution of this issue and a just resolution of it thank you deputy brendan smith