Michael Collins on Section 39 pay snub for private nursing home staff
Michael Collins addressed a Section 39 pay deal that awards a 9.25% increase to many healthcare workers over two years, welcoming the outcome but objecting to the exemption of private nursing home staff. He urged the Department and the Unions to revisit the arrangement and called for time to discuss and reverse what he described as an unfair exemption.
The speech summarises a deal struck by the Department and the Unions providing a 9.25% pay increase for many healthcare workers under Section 39 contracts, to be rolled out over a two-year period. Collins publicly welcomed the long-awaited move while warning that the details risk undermining fairness.
Collins highlighted that Section 39 private nursing home staff are to be exempted from the pay increase, a step he criticised as unjust. He singled out Teasheak private nursing homes as already being "hammered" by the State and cited a figure that they receive €380 less per patient every week compared with the public hospital.
The speaker noted that private homes must pay for any HICU upgrades to their nursing homes themselves, adding to financial pressure. He questioned whether the State expects residents or families to make up the pay shortfall for Section 39 workers in private nursing homes.
Collins stressed that private nursing homes are not Section 39s and reminded listeners that the National Treatment Purchase Fund is the usual mechanism through which private nursing homes get funded. He used this distinction to argue that the pay deal should not leave private homes bearing extra costs.
The speech concluded with a call to create time to discuss the matter, to treat the Section 39 pay increase fairly and across the board, and to reverse the exemption for private nursing home staff out of respect for staff, patients and families. Collins urged ministers and officials to address the perceived inequity and find a solution for affected private nursing home workers.
Overview of the pay deal
The speech summarises a deal struck by the Department and the Unions providing a 9.25% pay increase for many healthcare workers under Section 39 contracts, to be rolled out over a two-year period. Collins publicly welcomed the long-awaited move while warning that the details risk undermining fairness.
Exemption of private nursing home staff
Collins highlighted that Section 39 private nursing home staff are to be exempted from the pay increase, a step he criticised as unjust. He singled out Teasheak private nursing homes as already being "hammered" by the State and cited a figure that they receive €380 less per patient every week compared with the public hospital.
Financial strain and upgrades
The speaker noted that private homes must pay for any HICU upgrades to their nursing homes themselves, adding to financial pressure. He questioned whether the State expects residents or families to make up the pay shortfall for Section 39 workers in private nursing homes.
Funding mechanism distinction
Collins stressed that private nursing homes are not Section 39s and reminded listeners that the National Treatment Purchase Fund is the usual mechanism through which private nursing homes get funded. He used this distinction to argue that the pay deal should not leave private homes bearing extra costs.
Call for discussion and reversal
The speech concluded with a call to create time to discuss the matter, to treat the Section 39 pay increase fairly and across the board, and to reverse the exemption for private nursing home staff out of respect for staff, patients and families. Collins urged ministers and officials to address the perceived inequity and find a solution for affected private nursing home workers.
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Transcript
I agree with the previous two speakers in relation to speaking time, it needs to get resolved because business needs to be done, but last week a deal was struck by the Department and the Unions on a 9.25% pay increase for many healthcare workers under Section 39 contracts rolled out over a two-year period. I publicly welcome this long-awaited move, only to realise that the devil is in the detail for Section 39 private nursing home staff who are now to be exempted from this pay increase. Teasheak private nursing homes are already being hammered by the State receiving €380 less per patient every week in comparison to the public hospital, and they have to pay for any HICU upgrades to their nursing homes in order to do it themselves. On top of all this, do the State expect the residents or the families in our nursing homes to pay to make up the pay shortfall for these great Section 39 workers? This Section 39 pay increase deal done should be fair and across the board, and I am calling you today to create time to discuss this critical matter out of respect to every private nursing home staff member and their patients and families throughout our island and reverse this very unfair Section 39 deal broker. Private nursing homes are not Section 39s. Normally, as you know, there is a separate financial mechanism in terms of the National Treatment Purchase Fund is the mechanism through which private nursing homes get funded. But I think I agree with you. It was a welcome development that the section 39 issue was resolved in terms of the pay talks. I think Deputy...