SIPTU members Condemn Cut in Funding to Disability Services

SIPTU members and service users have condemned a cut in funding to the Personal Assistant service which provides vital support for people with disabilities.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Darragh O’Connor, said: “The decision by the HSE to reduce funding to disability services in its 2016 service plan has been met with dismay by workers and service users.

“This cut will result in the loss of 100,000 hours of services provided by Personal Assistants that enable people with physical disabilities to participate in their communities and workplaces”. 

SIPTU activist and Personal Assistant (PA), Declan McCarthy, said: “The PA service can help transform people’s lives. There is a lot of talk about economic recovery but I don’t see it when disability services are being cut like this."

PA service user and disability activist, Dr. John Roche, said: “People with disabilities depend on PA services to live independent lives in their communities. Without these supports, people can be confined to their beds, homes or institutions. Without a PA service you don’t have a life, you have an existence.”

Darragh O’Connor added: “People with disabilities want to work, socialise, live a normal life and Personal Assistants can make this happen. Cutting PA services when there is a growing demand is indefensible. SIPTU is calling on the Minister of Health, Leo Varadkar, to do the right thing and reverse this cut and invest adequately in PA services.”

High Level Forum brings together workers and decision-makers

A new High Level Forum for the Community Sector will bring together workers’ representatives directly with officials from government departments and agencies.

SIPTU and Impact negotiators proposed the establishment of the Forum during the talks leading up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The creation of this Forum is a significant breakthrough for workers in the Community Sector.

It has been agreed that government departments and statutory agencies’ officials will meet on an ongoing basis in the High Level Forum to:

• Ensure the effective exchange of information on relevant issues in the Sector
• Receive updates on public expenditure levels in the sector
• Receive regular information updates on service delivery and best outcomes in the Sector
• Address with full consideration issues such as pensions and terms and conditions of employment related to employment in the Sector

The High Level Forum will be convened by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and will meet on a quarterly basis.

SIPTU Vice President, Gene Mealy, a lead negotiator in the talks establishing the new High Level Forum, said: “This Forum is probably the most important initiative secured for workers in the sector in recent years. It overcomes a major difficulty experienced by unions in resolving any serious industrial relations issues affecting their members. While recourse to the Labour Court has resulted in
supportive recommendations some government departments and agencies have failed to honour them.

“The new High Level Forum for the sector provides a formal mechanism to
enable fruitful engagement and negotiated solutions for union members.”

SIPTU Campaign for Disability Services

SIPTU Campaign for Disability Services 

#StrongerTogether

SIPTU has launched a campaign calling on Government to invest in Personal Assistant (PA) service so that people with disabilities have the services they need & PA workers have a decent wage.

Because of a lack of funding many people with disabilities are not getting the Personal Assistant support they need, making some prisoners in their own home.

PAs have also suffered cuts to their pay and conditions, making ends meet a real challenge for many.

People with a disability deserve to live with dignity and workers deserve a living wage.

SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN BY SIGNING THE PETITION HERE

We all have the right to own independence, it's time to make this a reality for all.

Family Resourse Centres are Getting Organised

Workers in Family Resource Centres (FRC) across the country are getting organised in SIPTU to ensure they have strong voice nationally.

Workers in the over 100 FRCs support families in difficult circumstances and provide
practical assistance to community groups delivering training and education.

County Kerry FRC worker and SIPTU activist, Suzanna Griffin, said: “FRCs play a vital role in communities. They base their work on community development principles, and involve people from marginalised groups and areas of disadvantage. FRC workers support families, help children, and look after the elderly and disabled.”

She added: “However, they have suffered massively due to cuts. Currently, 50% of FRCs have to  fundraise to meet their basic wage costs and pay basic overheads, such as heating and lighting.

“Most FRC core staff have had a pay freeze since 2008, with no increments awarded, and no increase in rates of pay since then. Others have taken pay cuts to ensure their centres have remained open. During this time, FRC staff workloads have increased significantly such is the demand for the services they provide.”

Griffin, who is also a SIPTU NEC Equality Subcommittee member and the union’s representative on the National Womens Council, added: “With TUSLA (the Child and Family Agency) taking over the funding of FRCs there will be changes. By organising with SIPTU, workers will be in a better position to protect jobs and the delivery of vital community services.”

Services and Jobs focus of Disability Campaign

The SIPTU Community Sector is to launch a campaign to safeguard quality Personal Assistant (PA) services and jobs with workers, service users and providers later this year.

SIPTU activist and PA, Stephanie McNamara, said: “People with disabilities deserve the right to fully participate in their communities, to have an education, a job and family. For many people with significant disabilities this is made possible by SIPTU members who work as PAs in the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Centres for Independent Living.”

Since 2008 the overall disability budget has been cut by €159 million and PAs have suffered pay cuts and reduced hours. Meanwhile demand for PA services and other home care support grows.

The Department of Health is also proposing to put the Assisted Living Service out to tender; if this happens unchecked it will drive down wages for PAs. The impact of tendering in home care services for elderly people has resulted in some private companies paying as little as €9 per hour to workers.

However, the SIPTU PA campaign will focus on increasing funding and ensuring fair rates of pay.

For more information contact Shonagh Byrne at 01 858 6381 or sbyrne@siptu.ie.

High Level Forum brings together workers and decision-makers

A new High Level Forum for the Community Sector will bring together workers’ representatives directly with officials from government departments and agencies. 

SIPTU and Impact negotiators proposed the establishment of the Forum during the talks leading up to the Lansdowne Road agreement. The creation of this Forum is a significant breakthrough for workers in the Community Sector. 

It has been agreed that government departments and statutory agencies’ officials will meet on an ongoing basis in the High Level Forum to:

• Ensure the effective exchange of information on relevant
issues in the Sector
• Receive updates on public expenditure levels in the sector
• Receive regular information updates on service delivery
and best outcomes in the Sector
• Address with full consideration issues such as pensions and terms and conditions of employment related to employment in the Sector

The High Level Forum will be convened by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and will meet on a quarterly basis.

SIPTU Vice President, Gene Mealy, a lead negotiator in the talks establishing the new High Level Forum, said: “This Forum is probably the most important initiative secured for workers in the sector in recent years. It overcomes a major difficulty experienced by unions in resolving any serious industrial relations issues affecting their members. While recourse to the Labour Court has resulted in
supportive recommendations some government departments and agencies have failed to honour them.

“The new High Level Forum for the sector provides a formal mechanism to enable fruitful engagement and negotiated solutions for union members.”

Kiely’s CRC package exposes double standard in the C&V Sector

SIPTU Vice-President, Patricia King, has said double standards within the Community and Voluntary (C&V) sector have been exposed with the retirement package of over €740,000 for the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), Paul Kiely.

The revelation at the Public Accounts Committee that the massive lump sum and redundancy package had been provided to the former CEO is in stark contrast to the experience of workers, including very low paid employees, in the C&V Sector, she said.

Over eighty workers from a range of publicly funded C&V projects have been waiting up to three years for the State to honour twenty Labour Court and Rights Commissioner findings in relation to redundancy.

Patricia King said: “There appears to be a two tier community sector. One where ordinary workers are denied basic entitlements while those in positions of power enjoy premier league pay-outs. We are calling on the Government to honour the outstanding Labour Court recommendations and introduce a standard redundancy regime for the C&V sector to avoid such gross inequalities in the future.”