[Ireland] HSE’s outdated payroll systems shortchange 440,000 pensioners

In Ireland, thousands of retired nurses, social workers and medical scientists are missing out on payment rises as a result of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) inability to update its pay and pensions systems, Independent.ie reports.

Under the Building Momentum pay deal, about 44,500 retired HSE workers are due rises in their pensions. They include retired hospital porters, doctors, physiotherapists and caterers.

These individuals are overdue two rises in their pensions and one of these payments is due to be backdated to February 2022.

However, problems updating payroll systems in the HSE mean they have not received their money. A matter which has reportedly provoked enormous anger amid a raging cost of living crisis.

Now unions are threatening to report the HSE for a breach of the pay deal for leaving pensioners short-changed. And the unions claim some healthcare workers – not solely retirees – have yet to receive pay increases due to them.

Staff are reportedly due 3 per cent, backdated to February 2022. A further 1 per cent, or €500 a year (whichever is the greater), is due from last October.

More increases are due this year.

The majority of HSE pensioners reportedly qualify for the increase because they are on the older form of the public-sector pension. Older public-sector pensions have been traditionally linked to public-sector pay increases.

This means a healthcare pensioner, with a €34,000-a-year pension, is due €1,500 for the back-dated payment.

In addition, another €500 is reportedly due to be included in their pension since October.

In a letter to the HSE, the staff panel of health unions - including Siptu, the INMO, Fórsa, IMO, MLSA, Unite, Connect and the craft group of unions - says the HSE is in breach of the pay deal for workers and pensioners.

Albert Murphy - Chairman of the National Joint Council of Unions in the HSE - told executives in the HSE, “I have been asked to convey the staff panel’s concern that the delays in payments of staff pay adjustments and arrears, and also delays in the application of increases to pensions, constitutes a breach of the Building Momentum Agreement and are unfair to healthcare workers.

“In this regard, we sought an urgent meeting and we would therefore request that you revert within seven days for a meeting to discuss this matter. If this is not forthcoming the matter will be referred to PSAG [the Public Service Agreement Group].

“I trust that this will not be necessary.”

Mr Murphy reportedly said it was grossly unfair that healthcare workers and pensioners had yet to get their pay rises.

“The HSE are the worst performers. The guards and the teachers, and the other public servants, got paid on time,” he said.

The National Joint Council of Unions was said to be seeking an urgent meeting in the health service to resolve the issues.

Mr Murphy said there were six different hubs, or payroll offices, and a number of different payment systems. He said it seemed to take an age to update the different payroll systems the HSE uses and a shortage of payroll staff was also part of the problem.

The first rise for the pensioners - due to be back-dated to last February - would be a year late if it was not paid soon, he said.

In response to the question of why the payments had not been made, the HSE reportedly said it was committed to having all pension increases processed, together with arrears, by the end of March.

These will include all previous increases up to and including the latest increase, effective from last October 1, it added.

The HSE meets the National Joint Council of Trade Unions on a regular basis and updates it on the progress being made to pay the increases, it said.

Source: Independent.ie

(Quotes via original reporting)

In Ireland, thousands of retired nurses, social workers and medical scientists are missing out on payment rises as a result of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) inability to update its pay and pensions systems, Independent.ie reports.

Under the Building Momentum pay deal, about 44,500 retired HSE workers are due rises in their pensions. They include retired hospital porters, doctors, physiotherapists and caterers.

These individuals are overdue two rises in their pensions and one of these payments is due to be backdated to February 2022.

However, problems updating payroll systems in the HSE mean they have not received their money. A matter which has reportedly provoked enormous anger amid a raging cost of living crisis.

Now unions are threatening to report the HSE for a breach of the pay deal for leaving pensioners short-changed. And the unions claim some healthcare workers – not solely retirees – have yet to receive pay increases due to them.

Staff are reportedly due 3 per cent, backdated to February 2022. A further 1 per cent, or €500 a year (whichever is the greater), is due from last October.

More increases are due this year.

The majority of HSE pensioners reportedly qualify for the increase because they are on the older form of the public-sector pension. Older public-sector pensions have been traditionally linked to public-sector pay increases.

This means a healthcare pensioner, with a €34,000-a-year pension, is due €1,500 for the back-dated payment.

In addition, another €500 is reportedly due to be included in their pension since October.

In a letter to the HSE, the staff panel of health unions - including Siptu, the INMO, Fórsa, IMO, MLSA, Unite, Connect and the craft group of unions - says the HSE is in breach of the pay deal for workers and pensioners.

Albert Murphy - Chairman of the National Joint Council of Unions in the HSE - told executives in the HSE, “I have been asked to convey the staff panel’s concern that the delays in payments of staff pay adjustments and arrears, and also delays in the application of increases to pensions, constitutes a breach of the Building Momentum Agreement and are unfair to healthcare workers.

“In this regard, we sought an urgent meeting and we would therefore request that you revert within seven days for a meeting to discuss this matter. If this is not forthcoming the matter will be referred to PSAG [the Public Service Agreement Group].

“I trust that this will not be necessary.”

Mr Murphy reportedly said it was grossly unfair that healthcare workers and pensioners had yet to get their pay rises.

“The HSE are the worst performers. The guards and the teachers, and the other public servants, got paid on time,” he said.

The National Joint Council of Unions was said to be seeking an urgent meeting in the health service to resolve the issues.

Mr Murphy said there were six different hubs, or payroll offices, and a number of different payment systems. He said it seemed to take an age to update the different payroll systems the HSE uses and a shortage of payroll staff was also part of the problem.

The first rise for the pensioners - due to be back-dated to last February - would be a year late if it was not paid soon, he said.

In response to the question of why the payments had not been made, the HSE reportedly said it was committed to having all pension increases processed, together with arrears, by the end of March.

These will include all previous increases up to and including the latest increase, effective from last October 1, it added.

The HSE meets the National Joint Council of Trade Unions on a regular basis and updates it on the progress being made to pay the increases, it said.

Source: Independent.ie

(Quotes via original reporting)