home helps to demonstrate at department of health

national | worker & community struggles and protests | event notice Monday March 06, 2006 18:12 by Organising Unit - SIPTU

Home help workers are at breaking point as their hours are cut and the Health Service Executive continues to fail to implement their 2004 agreement on pay and conditions, according to SIPTU Organiser Darragh O’Connor.

“Home helps have become increasingly frustrated at the failure of the HSE and the Department of Heath to address critical issues facing this vital service,” said Mr. O’Connor.

“For years, the home help service has allowed older people to continue to live in their own home and community with dignity and respect. As well as providing personal and social care, home helps are often the only contact elderly people have during the day. The service also helps to reduce the demand on expensive hospital and nursing home care.

“Giving priority to home care is stated Government policy. However, instead of adequately supporting the home help service, the Government has stood over a massive decline in home help provision with a massive reduction in the number of service hours of 730,000 from 2002 to 2004.

“Further evidence of the Government’s disregard for the service is seen in the treatment of home help workers. Uniquely and controversially, home helps are still employed on “zero hour” contracts where their pay can be reduced to “nil” in circumstances where a client is hospitalised or even dies. So while the Government acknowledges the importance of the home help service, it clearly remains the ‘Cinderella’ of the health sector.

“Despite concluding an agreement with SIPTU in April 2004 to end “zero hour” contracts, the HSE has still not delivered and continues to be in breach of the Terms of Employment Act and the Organisation of Working Time Act.

“The anger and frustration of workers and clients is understandable and this is why SIPTU has launched the “Be Fair to Those Who Care” campaign. With support from councillors, TDs and community groups, mass meetings are being held around the country to highlight these issues. These will culminate in a meeting and demonstration in Liberty Hall on Monday, March 13, at 11am to be followed by a demonstration outside the Department of Health in Hawkins Street, Dublin,” he concluded.