Councillor demands fair pay for Mayo care workers ahead of Mall protest
An elected member of Mayo County Council is demanding fair pay for Western Care and Irish Wheelchair Association workers ahead of their protest in Castlebar tomorrow.
Union members and supporters of Section 39 and Section 56 workers will gather at the Mall in the town at 4.30 p.m. on Monday.
A motion will be placed before the attendance calling for support of workers and a show of solidarity from local elected representatives.
The government agreed last October to introduce an eight per cent pay increase for them - but many are still waiting for it.
In his statement, Councillor Barrett said: "I am calling on all councillors and elected members to support the workers of Western Care and the Irish Wheelchair Association in this county, who are fighting for pay parity with their HSE colleagues.
"These workers are the backbone of the disability sector in our county, and yet they are being treated very unfairly when it comes to their pay."
He has placed a motion before tomorrow's meeting of Mayo County Council calling for pay parity for all Section 39 and 56 workers in Mayo.
It is expected that a large contingent from Western Care and the Irish Wheelchair Association will be present the council meeting for the debate on the motion.
He continuedL "Despite facing the same regulations and undergoing the same training as HSE staff, they are paid less for doing the same work.
"This situation is unacceptable, and to make matters worse, the Government has walked away from talks on this critical issue.
"This is yet another example of how the disability sector in Ireland is treated like a Cinderella service – underfunded and undervalued.
"The poor treatment of this sector extends to its workers here in Mayo who provide essential care to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. They deserve to be treated with respect and paid fairly for their hard work.
"I am calling on my fellow councillors to stand with me and support these workers in their demand for equal pay.
"Would any of us accept lesser pay than our colleagues in Galway or any other county while doing the exact same work? Of course we wouldn’t, and we shouldn’t expect these workers to either.
"I also urge the Minister for Health to return to the negotiating table and recognise the worth of these vital workers. It’s time to end this unfair treatment and agree to pay parity immediately.
"The disability sector and the people who work in it deserve more than to be treated as an afterthought. It’s time for real action and fairness," he added.