Disability service providers urge Government to take steps to prevent industrial action

Staff from service providers such as the Irish Wheelchair Association are earning almost €5 less per hour then their HSE counterparts

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By

Laura LyneReporter

05:30, 12 OCT 2023

Wheelchair (stock) — Wheelchair (stock) (Image: vitor-camilo/Unsplash)

The Government has been urged to intervene and help avoid industrial action being planned by service providers for the disabled over a lack of pay increase.

The Irish Wheelchair Association, who are among a raft of Government funded bodies under a health and welfare remit, are calling for staff to be compensated at the same levels of their HSE counterparts. Currently staff are earning €4.20 less per hour than their HSE counterparts who earn €20.02 for carrying out the same work.

Industrial action is now set to take place across Irish Wheelchair Association's 58 locations, and 18 other Section 39 organisations on Tuesday, October 17. If no movement is made by the Government, then that action will take place indefinitely until steps are taken for change.

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John Maher, a service user from Coolock, expressed his worry and anxiety: "I don't blame the staff because what they do isn't valued or appreciated by the Government. The HSE and the Government need to understand just how dependent we are on this service."

Michael Doyle, Acting Chief Operations Officer at Irish Wheelchair Association added: “IWA employees don’t want to strike, it’s going to be hugely disruptive and scary for a lot of our members. Indefinite industrial action has been confirmed and we are working with the unions to secure the ability to deliver essential services which will be to a small number of our members. It’s time for the Government to put a stop to this and take action today as vulnerable people will continue to suffer."

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