Unions welcome restoration of public-sector employees’ working time

Former Workplace Relations Commission chairman Kieran Mulvey chaired the independent body which prepared the report. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Fórsa and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation are among unions welcoming the announcement that public sector employees’ working time is to be restored to pre-austerity levels.

It comes after the Government accepted a report on restoration of public-service working time. The independent body which prepared the report, established under the Building Momentum public service agreement and chaired by Kieran Mulvey, made the recommendation in January.

It reverses increases in working hours first implemented in July 2013, when the standard working time of civil and public servants increased to 39 hours per week for those who previously worked between 37 and 39 hours, and to 37 hours for those who previously worked 35 hours or less. 

The hours of those working 39 hours or more were unchanged.

The recommendation will see a return to the pre-July 2013 hours, albeit with a minimum working week of 35 hours.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “The additional hours introduced under the 2013 Haddington Road Agreement fell hardest on women with caring responsibilities and have been increasingly counterproductive in terms of service delivery, morale, and productivity.

The independent body’s recommendation, which is now accepted by the Government, will remove a deep grievance among many, mostly lower-paid workers.”

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation also welcomed the Cabinet decision. A spokesperson thanked all members of the hours body, including Mr Mulvey.

“The recommendation by the independently-chaired hours body and subsequent decision by Government is one that will benefit the retention of nurses and midwives,” said the spokesperson.

"The Haddington Road hours have disproportionately impacted our largely female workforce.

The additional hours have pushed many nurses and midwives into part-time work due to the additional pressure that was put on caring responsibilities.

“We know that since 2013 the additional unpaid hours have had a considerable negative impact on morale, and the retention of nurses and midwives within the public health service.”

The recommendation is set for implementation on July 1, and the independent body said it had taken account of the nine-year period in which the additional hours have been worked, the strain on the staff working the hours, and the “truly committed efforts of staff during the last two years in meeting patient, healthcare, population vaccine, security needs, and the requirements of delivery for existing and new social welfare and pandemic payment measures”.