Homecare workers' contracts cut

Workers providing essential homecare services to vulnerable people throughout counties Meath and Louth are short hundreds of euro per month, following a contract change unilaterally imposed by their employer, according to their Trade Union, UNITE.

Danu Home Care, which traded as Ann’s Home Care Ireland until recently has moved workers who had been on seven 12-hour shifts every fortnight to 30 hour per week contracts.

According to UNITE this means that they have lost 24 hours’ pay ever two weeks and they have been left with a shortfall of between €250 and €400 each fortnight.

The Union has hit out at the company for refusing to engage with the union or respond to grievances filed by workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is shameful that Danu Home Care, which is commissioned by the HSE to provide essential home care support services to vulnerable people, has decided to effectively cut the pay of the experienced and committed healthcare assistants providing these vital services. Unite will not allow this company to squeeze our members’ pay in order to further boost their profits”.

Unite regional coordinating officer Tom Fitzgerald added: “This company has secured lucrative HSE contracts thanks to the expertise and commitment of its workforce.

"Unite will be contacting the incoming Minister for Health to outline our members’ concerns and ask that he or she step in. The company needs to be aware that we will leave no stone unturned to defend our members”.

The company is an approved Health Services Executive provider of home support services for older people. In addition to the Louth and Meath home care workers represented by Unite, the company is commissioned by the HSE to provide home care services in North and South Dublin, Monaghan, Longford and Westmeath.

A spokesperson for the HSE said the executive was following up with Danu Care issues raised by the union.

Danu Care has been approached for comment.