Read more opinion and news in Issue 56 - Winter 2016/’17 of ‘Changing Ireland’!
Debate is continuing in regard to “restoring” pay, particularly in the public sector. However, the Community & Voluntary
Sector hasn’t got much of a look in.
When it comes to this Sector, the media is focused on high CEO salaries. Recently, the journal.ie asked: Should there be a salary cap for CEOs of charities? They pointed to well-publicised scandals and a survey they conducted earlier last year into CEO salaries in charity organisations. As we know, some CEOs were being paid almost €150,000 a year. They also noted a wide variation in pay to senior management personnel in not- for-pro ts. Whatever about high salaries in some charity organisations, most workers in the Community & Voluntary feel their pay is too low and if anyone deserves pay “restoration” perhaps it should be the Sector’s lower-paid workers.
IMPACT has been holding public meetings on this issue around the country. The trade union, which represents 5,000 workers, is running a campaign aimed at restoring pay to workers in the sector.
For an insight into pay and conditions, it’s worth reading a report published last year by the Community Foundation for Ireland titled: ‘National Guide to Pay and Benefits in Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations’ (available online at: http://bit.ly/C-Vpay-conds).
Dear
Editor,
In every city, town and village throughout Ireland over 100,000 people work in community centres, voluntary or charitable organisations and social enterprises delivering real and meaningful change to people’s lives.
The current debate and media commentary around pay and conditions in both the public and private sector as advocated by unions and workers on the merits of pay restoration and increased allowances would lead one to think that there is no other sector within our economy where workers fare worse from low pay and entitlements.
When it comes to this Sector, the media is focused on high CEO salaries. Recently, the journal.ie asked: Should there be a salary cap for CEOs of charities? They pointed to well-publicised scandals and a survey they conducted earlier last year into CEO salaries in charity organisations. As we know, some CEOs were being paid almost €150,000 a year. They also noted a wide variation in pay to senior management personnel in not- for-pro ts. Whatever about high salaries in some charity organisations, most workers in the Community & Voluntary feel their pay is too low and if anyone deserves pay “restoration” perhaps it should be the Sector’s lower-paid workers.
IMPACT has been holding public meetings on this issue around the country. The trade union, which represents 5,000 workers, is running a campaign aimed at restoring pay to workers in the sector.
For an insight into pay and conditions, it’s worth reading a report published last year by the Community Foundation for Ireland titled: ‘National Guide to Pay and Benefits in Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations’ (available online at: http://bit.ly/C-Vpay-conds).
Meanwhile, we received the following letter on the subject from a Limerick Labour councillor, Joe Leddin, who recently completed his Masters in Voluntary and Community Sector Management at UCC.
Have a read and send us your views!
Have a read and send us your views!
100,000 workers must
not be ignored
In every city, town and village throughout Ireland over 100,000 people work in community centres, voluntary or charitable organisations and social enterprises delivering real and meaningful change to people’s lives.
The current debate and media commentary around pay and conditions in both the public and private sector as advocated by unions and workers on the merits of pay restoration and increased allowances would lead one to think that there is no other sector within our economy where workers fare worse from low pay and entitlements.
The community and voluntary sector or not for pro t sector has struggled for years to
gain accreditation from Government despite
contributing over €6 billion annually to our
economy. The sector provides frontline care in
the absence of state services to those most in
need especially in the area of social care and
support despite suffering enormously from
the years of economic downturn with drastic funding cuts impacting adversely on those most marginalised and isolated from society.
These same workers don’t share the salaries, allowance or even the pensions that many in both the private and public sector enjoy yet they work just as hard day in day out to serve their local communities.
the years of economic downturn with drastic funding cuts impacting adversely on those most marginalised and isolated from society.
These same workers don’t share the salaries, allowance or even the pensions that many in both the private and public sector enjoy yet they work just as hard day in day out to serve their local communities.
As Governments change, responsibility for
sector invariably switches from department
to department with little understanding or appreciation of the impact these workers have on the quality of peoples lives.
Let’s have a dedicated government department similar to the UK with responsibility for the Community and Voluntary Sector. This will enable a sustainable strategy to be formulated that will strengthen both the sector and the rights and entitlements of workers.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr. Joe Leddin (M.Soc. UCC)
Limerick
to department with little understanding or appreciation of the impact these workers have on the quality of peoples lives.
Let’s have a dedicated government department similar to the UK with responsibility for the Community and Voluntary Sector. This will enable a sustainable strategy to be formulated that will strengthen both the sector and the rights and entitlements of workers.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr. Joe Leddin (M.Soc. UCC)
Limerick
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