Meath County Council unanimously endorsed a motion in support of the Valuing Care, Valuing Community campaign for pay justice for workers in Section 39 and community sector organisations at its meeting in Navan on Monday, 5th September. The motion in support of the three aims of the campaign, which are a pay rise for Section 39 and community sector organisation workers for the first time since 2008, safeguarding the vital services they provide and the return of a pay link with public sector workers, was proposed by Sinn Féin councillor, Edward Fennessy. Independent Councillor and former SIPTU Branch Secretary, Brian Fitzgerald, delivered a significant contribution in support of the motion during which he outlined the vital services provided by workers in these organisations in county Meath. SIPTU Meath District Council Secretary, John Regan, said: “Most care and community sector workers have not had a pay rise in 14 years. They are struggling to make ends meet in the face of a worsening cost of living crisis while also seeking to maintain services for some of our most vulnerable citizens. In July, strike action was taken in selected care and community organisations in several counties, including Meath. Unfortunately, the Government, which controls the funding of these organisations and so has ultimate control over whether the wages of workers can be increased, has failed to positively respond to their demand for pay justice. Strike action in support of their campaign will now take place in more counties from 21st to 23rd September.” SIPTU Meath District Council President, Anton McCabe, said: “The Government is failing to grasp the link between its chronic underfunding of the wages of workers in these organisations and the failure to meet recruitment targets in, for example, disability services. The failure to fund the services adequately has led directly to shortfalls in services and growing waiting lists.” SIPTU Community Sector Organiser, Peter Glynn, said: “The organisations going on strike in Cork on Wednesday, 21st September, are the Irish Wheelchair Association, St. Joseph’s Foundation and EmployAbility. On Thursday, 22nd September, workers in Western Care, Ability West and selected community employment (CE) schemes will be on strike in Galway, Mayo and Donegal. The final group of workers in this wave of action to go on strike will be in Enable Ireland in counties Cork and Kerry on Friday, 23rd September.” He added: “Unless the Government acts to provide pay justice for these workers, strike action will continue in other counties in the coming months.” The Valuing Care, Valuing Community campaign is supported by the ICTU, SIPTU, Fórsa and the INMO.
Meath County Council votes to support Valuing Care, Valuing Community campaign
