Unite takes aim at Louth and Meath homecare operator alleging unilateral contract changes
Unite has claimed that workers are short hundreds of Euro following a contract change
The Unite trade union has claimed that workers providing home care services to people throughout counties Louth and Meath are short hundreds of euro per month following a contract change which they say was unilaterally imposed by their employer, Danu Home Care.
The union says that Danu Home Care traded as Ann’s Home Care Ireland until last week, and retains the same corporate structure.
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.
In a statement released to the Democratic the union alleged that workers who had been on seven 12-hour shifts every fortnight were moved to 30 hour per week contracts, saying:
“This means that they have lost 24 hours’ pay every two weeks while doing the same number of calls. They have thus been left with a shortfall of between €250 and €400 each fortnight.
“Despite the fact that Unite organises a majority of Danu Home Care workers in Louth and Meath, the company has so far refused to engage with the union or respond to grievances filed by workers.”
Commenting, 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.
“This week, the HSE declined to intervene to protect the terms and conditions of the workers providing vital services to some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
“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”.
Asked to comment on the accusations, Danu said they had “no comment to make.”