Thousands of workers across Ireland’s community and voluntary sectors are set to receive pay increases after members of two major trade unions voted overwhelmingly in favour of a pay agreement brokered at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in March.
The deal, which was backed by SIPTU and Fórsa members, will see approximately 40,000 workers benefit from a 9.25% pay rise, backdated to October 2024. Additional phased pay increases will follow in 2025 and 2026. Importantly, the agreement also establishes a mechanism to link future pay to national public sector pay deals, ensuring wage parity moving forward.
The agreement applies to workers employed in organisations funded under several key sections of government legislation, including Section 39 (healthcare), Section 56 (child and family services), Section 10 (housing), and Section 40 (domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services).
SIPTU reported that 87% of its members voted in favour of the deal. In a statement following the ballot, the union said it would now seek urgent talks with government departments and employers to ensure the deal is implemented without delay.
“We will now engage with the Government funding departments confirming our members’ acceptance of the pay proposals and will also seek urgent engagement with employers to discuss the full implementation of the agreement without delay,” the union stated.
However, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary John King voiced frustration that some workers, particularly those in home support services and GP out-of-hours providers, were excluded from the deal.
“While we welcome this agreement for those who will benefit from it, we are expressing our absolute determination to deliver for other workers who have been left behind,” Mr King said.
Fórsa members also backed the deal by a significant margin, with 86% voting in favour. The union’s Head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the outcome represents progress for a sector where wages have lagged behind.
“While the terms acknowledge that pay for some in the sector has fallen behind public sector levels and allows for future increases in public pay agreements to be applied to the community and voluntary sector, we need to see the funding bodies move quickly to ensure our members receive these pay improvements as they fall due,” Connolly said.
The deal is viewed as a major milestone for workers in the sector, many of whom have long campaigned for parity with their public sector counterparts.
