The Government has welcomed the agreement reached at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), which includes a 9.25% pay increase for up to 40,000 employees working for State-contracted agencies that provide vital health and social care services.
This agreement, finalized during recent talks at the WRC, ensures that workers in Section 39 agencies will now receive pay parity with their public sector counterparts performing similar roles, in line with the 2024-2025 public sector agreement.
The deal will introduce phased wage increases over the next two years, retroactive to October 2024. When combined with the 8% increase agreed in October 2023, this results in a 17.25% total pay rise over a three-and-a-half-year period.
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, Norma Foley, expressed her gratitude, stating:
“I appreciate the goodwill of everyone who sat around the table to reach this agreement for the dedicated workers who provide invaluable supports and services.”
Additionally, Liam Berney, Senior Industrial Officer with ICTU, remarked:
“We have a set of proposals that were developed… and they will now be considered by unions over the coming days.” This will allow union members the chance to have their say and provide feedback on the proposals.
The agreement comes after healthcare workers, represented by SIPTU, had voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a bid for better conditions. With this deal, the Government and unions have reached a resolution, and we hope to see continued progress.