Finally, IHC wage freeze broken

After nearly six weeks of industrial action, an Employment Court injunction, and an Employment Relations Authority intervention, IHC finally came to the table with a wage increase!

The offer of 1% backdated to November 2009 with a further 1.5% in November 2010. This offer has been taken to the workforce and has been accepted.

Chas Muir of the SFWU says, "It is very unfortunate that these workers were forced to take industrial action to get any wage rise at all. They carry out a hugely valuable job within the community supporting people with intellectual disabilities......and for this hugely valuable role they are totally undervalued."

The IHC eventually offered the meagre amount that it had received in government funding. In reality a 1% wage increase when the CPI (cost of living) is 2% means that these already very poorly paid workers ..are becoming poorer!

This being the case at a time when the National Government justifies tax cuts for the rich!! The SFWU is committed to pressing the government for realistic funding to address the plight of the 'poverty wages' in the disability sector. We have won a battle but not the war.