Last month, we held our 2026 AGMs across our six sectors, which are representative of our 42,000 members in health. The message we have received is very clear.
Our members are demanding a strong successor Public Service Agreement that ultimately delivers real pay increases rather than inflation-chasing increases.
Members want protection of their work. They want a firm commitment to direct employment, protection against outsourcing and no compulsory redundancies.
Our members want the pattern of behaviour from the Government, the HSE and the Department of Health regarding the seeking of private solutions to service provision to be reversed. ‘For Profit’ organisations are never the solution for the delivery of essential public services.
The Government must commit to making a priority of direct employment, proper funding to meet the expanding demand for public services and safe staffing levels for all grades.
I am very grateful for the input that we have had at our AGMs over the last couple of weeks. The message from our members is clear and I am going to carry it forward as we prepare for the next round of Public Sector Pay talks.
We know the current agreement concludes on 30th June 2026 and the Government will have to commit to a talks process in a timely manner, as it is unacceptable that public sector workers carry the burden of the cost of living crisis without an agreement on pay from 1st July 2026.
SIPTU will continue engagement with our wider public sector membership. In addition, we are also dealing with the challenge of the Pay and Numbers Strategy in the health service, which is the mechanism used for budgeting, with funds paid towards salaries and the headcount permitted within that budget.
There is a great challenge for SIPTU grades because our members are vulnerable to outsourcing and to the privatisation of their services as an easy solution for management to get around the rigorous constraints of the Pay and Numbers Strategy.
Therefore, we are absolutely committed to the objective of ensuring, by whatever means necessary, that the future delivery of public healthcare services, is not done at the expense of directly employed quality jobs in the public service.
Our members are very proud to work in the public service, and it is our responsibility as their Union to ensure that their voice is heard at the highest table in both the HSE and government.