Forsa hits out at 'disingenuous' HSE response to plan for industrial action

Fórsa's has announced industrial action by health and social care workers for September. Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

A union representing healthcare and social work professionals has hit out at what they call a "disingenuous" response from the HSE over plans to start industrial action next month.

Fórsa members across eight health and social care professions will begin industrial action next month in a dispute over a career pathway review.

A ballot on Monday evening of dietitians, orthoptics, occupational therapy, podiatry, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, social work and social care staff working across the HSE and section 38 organisations resulted in a 93.5% vote in favour of action.

Speaking on Thursday, Forsa general secretary Linda Kelly made the point that the dispute has been ongoing since 2018.

She told RTÉ's Morning Ireland: "In 2018, we reached an agreement with the HSE to commence a career pathway review to look at these eight professions and what opportunities existed for them from the time they come in to the workforce to the time they retire.

"It's quite a flat structure at the moment and has been historically."

Ms Kelly said Forsa have engaged with the HSE since that time, but said that there were two key strands that were issues now. The first concerns a pathway for staff who Forsa say have been "stuck" at the same grade since graduation — saying that these members had "no opportunity to progress in their career."

She said: "In April, the HSE indicated that they have revised their position around progressing that staff to senior processes. 

That's been a situation that we haven't accepted and we're not going to tolerate.

Ms Kelly noted that further issues with development of advanced practices and other situations were necessary in order to develop the health service and ensure that Sláintecare is a success.

She said: "In the last five years, we haven't even gotten to that discussion because of all the provocation on the staff."

Forsa national secretary Linda Kelly

A "core concern" of Fórsa members was "wage stagnation" — with the issue being "demotivating" according to Ms Kelly.

A HSE statement to RTÉ said that they were aware of plans for industrial action, but claimed it was "premature" as the parties are still engaged with talks.

In response, Ms Kelly said the statement was "very disingenuous". "We sought a referral to the WRC with the HSE before Christmas, they declined it. 

"We have made our position clear since April, we have had no substantial response from the HSE in relation to what their actual objection is to honouring their agreement.

We are available for talks at any instance. I don't accept that statement.

The workers are cognisant of disruption to services, so are initially focusing on non-engagement with management procedures and the withdrawal of support from third-level educational aspects.

However, Ms Kelly warned that an escalation was "likely" if the HSE did not provide a "reasonable, well-thought" argument in talks. "We've been five years waiting — I think it's reasonable enough."