New disability alliance urges Government to pay Section 39 carers more

Leigh Gath: 'We set up this group because we had to have our voices heard. We hope that the Government put on their big boy pants and sort it out.' Picture: Brian Arthur

A new group of people with disabilities has formed to urge the Government to step in to stop the Section 39 strike action due to start next Tuesday.

The Leaders Alliance said that while they are seriously concerned about the impact of strike action, they fully support the calls from workers for better pay and conditions.

Spokesperson Leigh Gath told the Irish Examiner: “I am extremely worried. This has been going on since 2008. I don’t think the workers have any choice. Their backs are against the wall. They really don’t want to do this. It’s not the organisations doing this. It’s the Government.

Come Tuesday morning, there will be a couple of hundred people who won’t be able to get out of bed, get a drink of water, not get breakfast for themselves. This is really concerning.” 

The planned industrial action centres on a pay dispute dating back to a decision to reduce pay for these workers during the recession in 2010. While pay for their HSE counterparts has been restored, theirs has not, the unions argue, and the strike action is expected to see thousands take part.

Among the organisations taking this step around the country are Cheshire Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Enable Ireland.

The Irish Wheelchair Association said its employees earned €4.20 less per hour than their HSE counterparts, who earn €20.02, for carrying out the same work. “This wage disparity must be rectified and pay parity restored to ensure fairness and equality in remuneration,” it said.

Siptu, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and Fórsa representatives have been in front of the Workplace Relations Commission on this but said talks broke down early in August.

They left these talks, having rejected what they saw as an inappropriate pay offer of 5%.

Section 39 agencies and the HSE are funded by the State. Unions argue the disagreement is based on the Government’s approach to pay inequity, not with any individual Section 39 employer.

Significant gap

Ms Gath said the Government had allowed a significant gap to develop between what Section 39 workers are paid and what other workers in the sector are.

“My PA travels 30 minutes to get to me,” she said.” She travels from West Limerick to my house. She’s not paid petrol expenses. She’s getting paid 12% less. That’s very unfair. That’s why staff are leaving this organisation hand over fist.” 

The Leaders Alliance said that, through the strike action, the basic needs of disabled people around the country will be ignored by decision-makers while employees of Section 39-funded organisations and their vital work will be disrespected.

Furthermore, many people with intellectual disabilities will not have access to day services or respite services, making them “prisoners in their own homes”.

“Employees who are dedicated to their vital frontline work will be forced not to turn up for work, letting those they support down,” the group said. 

It called for the workers to be given pay parity, meaningful pay talks to resume without delay and for the Government to intervene to stop the strike.

“We set up this group because we had to have our voices heard,” Ms Gath added. “We hope that the Government put on their big boy pants and sort it out.”