SIPTU members in St Aidan’s Services, Gorey, Co. Wexford, a section 39 organisation providing day and residential services for people with intellectual disabilities, held the first in a series of work stoppages today (Wednesday, August 10th) in protest against the non-payment of increments due to them. SIPTU member and Health Care Assistant in St Aidan’s Services, Helen Tobin said: “We have been in Workplace Relations Commission twice and subsequently to the Labour Court in 2013. The Labour Court ruled in our favour but we still have not been paid what we are owed. We have no choice but to take industrial action. It is very frustrating because we go above and beyond the call of duty yet we are not shown respect for the vital community service we provide.”SIPTU Organiser, David Morris said: “Our members have been badly let down by the refusal of HSE management to pay them what they are owed. The workers have explored every avenue open to them to find a solution to this dispute and now feel they have no option but to take action to highlight the situation.”He added: “In 2010, the HSE withdrew funding for salary increments. An agreement is in place that aligns salaries in HSE funded Section 39 organisations such as St Aidan’s Services with HSE consolidated pay rates. HSE workers have had their increments restored so it is only fair that workers in Section 39 organisations enjoy parity of esteem and the same respect.”
SIPTU members in St Aidan’s Services protest against the non-payment of increments
