Unions representing almost 27,000 disability workers in community and voluntary organisations, who are deemed not covered by the recent public sector pay deal, will be called to imminent talks under a Government plan.
The plan will brought to the Cabinet by Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “… to progress pay issues that affect the delivery of disability services and the long-term viability of organisations within the sector.”
Many of these organisations are funded by the Health Service Executive under Section 39 of the Health Act, but the workers are not considered to be public servants and are therefore not eligible for a public sector pay deal.
Section 39 organisations are privately owned charities and agencies that are contracted by the State to provide healthcare services.
There is no specific reference to Section 39 workers in the Programme for Government.
Earlier this month, SIPTU announced it was to begin a ballot for strike action of up to 5,000 members working in 21 Section 39 organisations in a dispute over pay.
The union accused the Government of failing to honour an agreement struck at the Workplace Relations Commission in October 2023.
The deal had included a commitment to restore the pay link between the public sector and the community and voluntary sector.
