A new report from the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) has revealed a significant pay gap between the earnings of Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in the public and private sectors in some European countries, including Ireland.
The study drew from the expertise of affiliate trade unions from fifteen countries across Europe. As the Union of Health Care Assistants in Ireland, SIPTU contributed to the study.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Sharon Cregan, said “The EPSU report vindicates what SIPTU has been saying for years. There is a big disparity in pay between public and private healthcare with regards to how HCAs are paid; and seems to indicate that it is not just an issue in Ireland.”
“Current starting pay for a HCA commencing employment in the public service is €16.92 per hour and rises to €21.39 per hour when they reach the top of their incremental pay scale.
In theory, a HCA in the private sector could earn as little as minimum wage which is currently set at €12.70 per hour. Private care employments are often hostile to trade unions and therefore workers within such employments have no access to collective bargaining which is an effective means of securing decent pay rates and enhanced terms and conditions of employment.” Ms Cregan, continued.
Ms Cregan concluded “SIPTU has continuously called for a collective means of addressing pay in the private nursing home and home care sectors. We are also calling for HCAs in all settings and employments to be recognised and adequately remunerated for the essential role they play within the healthcare system.”
You can read the full EPSU report here.