SIPTU representatives have today (Monday, 20th July) demanded strong and concentrated action from the Government to deal with long standing issues facing workers in the community and voluntary sector. SIPTU Deputy General Secretary for the Public Service, John King, said: “Securing pay and pensions justice for workers in community services remains very much unfinished business for our members. Over the next number of weeks, we intend to intensify our campaign for pay and pensions justice. SIPTU representatives believe strong and concentrated action is required from the Government to deal with our members’ long standing issues fairly and promptly. We have seen throughout the Covid-19 crisis Community Employment Supervisors putting their shoulders to the wheel and keeping essential community services going across the country. Section 39 workers have also stepped up and continued to provide frontline social and health services to the most vulnerable people in our society. It’s time these essential workers are valued, respected for the contribution they make and that it is recognised by the Government that these workers have a right to pay restoration and pension provision in line with the improvements secured in recent years by public service workers and across the private sector.” He added: “Tens of thousands of our members working in the wider public service have made it very clear through our membership consultative process in the weeks leading up to the Covid-19 outbreak that they have no intention of leaving community and voluntary sector workers behind and that they stand full square behind them in their campaign for pay and pension justice.” SIPTU Community Sector Organiser, Eddie Mullins said: “Before the Covid-19 outbreak, hundreds of Community Employment Supervisors and Section 39 workers came together for a national day of protest to highlight the failure of the last Government to deal with our members outstanding pay and pension claims. The community sector has long been the forgotten sector. The sector suffered disproportionate cuts during the austerity years yet our members have never been found wanting when it comes to providing quality public services. This issue is not going away. CE Supervisors feel they were badly let down by the previous government and are asking the new Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, to put it right.”
SIPTU demands strong and concentrated government action to deal with issues across the community sector
