A proposal has now been finalised between health unions and Caredoc, following recent strike action by INMO and SIPTU members.
The dispute centred around the implementation of the 2023 WRC pay agreement for Section 39 organisations, specifically the 8% increase due to members working in Caredoc.
Unions stated that the employer had received the relevant funding from the HSE earlier this year, but that the increase had still not been applied to members’ salaries.
A 24-hour strike commenced on Thursday the 18th of December, after which the employer made improved proposals to unions to resolve the issue and bring the dispute to a close.
Further strike action that was due to take place on the 23rd, 27th and 29th of December has been suspended, and the INMO and SIPTU will now ballot members on Caredoc’s offer.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer Grainne Walsh said:
Our members had no desire to withdraw their labour, particularly at such a busy time of year for the health service, and the employer should not have forced them into this situation before doing the right thing. Having to go on strike was truly a last resort.
Comparable pay across the health service is vital to retaining staff across all critical services. The out-of-hours and triage services provided by our members in Caredoc represent a crucial resource and one that is heavily relied on by patients and doctors across the country.
We now have a proposal that we can present to members for ballot, and we hope that this matter can finally be resolved in the coming weeks.
SIPTU Health Division Industrial Organiser, Ger McNally, said:
Our members showed great determination and strength in engaging in strike action to pursue their legitimate pay claim. It was most unfortunate that the HSE and Caredoc management did not intervene sooner to resolve this pay dispute which could have averted strike action.
The strength and resolve shown by our membership throughout this process has yielded a positive outcome. We hope that this action will demonstrate the power and strength workers can have when they join together to become a strong voice in the workplace.
End