SIPTU Health Division members called on the Government to honour its commitment to restore their pay in line with national agreements at a rally today (Thursday, 30th April) outside the Department of Health, Dublin 2. At the rally, frontline health workers and support staff heard speeches stating that as workers had fulfilled their commitments under the Haddington Road Agreement it was now time for the Government to meet its obligation to restore their pay.Addressing the rally, SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, called for the restoration of workers’ pay and dismissed what he described as “myths about the public sector”.“One myth,” he said, “is that there is some kind of conflict between the people who work in the public service and the interests of the citizens who utilise them.“There is no conflict, we all share an interest in winning the battle for a good public services, for a good public health service.”Roisin Quinn, a health care assistant and SIPTU activist, said: “SIPTU is in a battle to make our jobs more sustainable that will support the long term interests of the people we care about and care for.”Concluding the rally, SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, called on the Government to live up to its commitments by initially restoring the earnings of lower paid workers.He said: “Looking to the future we believe that the Government working with SIPTU have an opportunity to commence a journey which will see the closing of the gap between low to middle income earners and those at the top.“This position is not just about pay and economics its about our society going forward.”
SIPTU members call for pay restoration at rally outside Department of Health
