Your IMO Consultant Committee continue to work on a range of issues affecting consultants and indeed the wider capacity issues in the health services which leave us all struggling to deliver timely and appropriate care. 

 

Consultant Contract Talks
 

The talks have recommenced under the Chairmanship of Mr Tom Mallon BL.  We remain determined and committed to engaging and agreeing a contract that will;

1. Address the inequity suffered by consultants appointed post Oct 2012
2. Be capable of retaining existing consultants
3. Enable the recruitment of much needed new consultants and
4. Provide solutions to the many issues identified by both consultants and NCHDs in terms of working conditions

 

FEMPI Restoration
 

As advised previously we were successful in ensuring that the Government honour its commitment in terms of the final phase of FEMPI restoration. The new pay scales are due to be implemented over the coming weeks and will apply to eligible consultants irrespective of the consultant’s date of appointment.  We have advised the HSE as to our concerns at the delay and requested that all back monies due from 1^st July be paid on implementation.  We encourage all consultants to check their pay slips and if you have any issues please contact consultants@imo.ie where a member of our team will be there to assist.

 

New Public Service Pay Agreement
 

You will be aware of new proposals in relation to revised pay increases following a review of Building Momentum which were agreed between the Public Services Committee of ICTU, of which the IMO is a member, and Government.  Your IMO Consultant Committee and IMO Council are considering the proposals of the review and we will be balloting members on the proposals.  

 

There are a number of elements to the pay proposals, one of which due to an existing clause in Building Momentum will not apply to any employee who has been in receipt of FEMPI restoration in the sameyear. The relevant clause states “Where an individual is due an amount of pay restoration by July 2021 under Section 19 or by July 2022 under Section 20 of the Public Service Pay Pensions Act 2017, they will not benefit from the general round increase in that year. Where the amount of restoration is less than the general round increase the individual will be eligible to be paid the balance on the date of the general round increase.”   

 

This means that individuals who received, or are due to receive, FEMPI restoration this year will not benefit from the 3% pay increase from February 2022.

 

While the IMO accepts that following FEMPI restoration our affected members would not avail of the 1% pay increase due from October 2022, as per the original Building Momentum we do not believe it is acceptable that the new arrangements regarding the February 2022 adjustment (3%) should be withheld.  We will be pursing this issue further and have asked that it be considered in the context of the current talks on a new contract.

 

YOUR IMO CONTACT POINT  consultants@imo.ie
 

Our dedicated Member Advisory Team are on hand to assist you with any contract issue, whether that be application of B or C Factor payments, on call payments, structured weekend rates, application of rest day agreements or any other contract issue.  In particular we offer assistance to those members who have been approached by management to change any working patterns or arrangements. 

 

 

#StandingUP4NCHDs Campaign

You will be aware that your NCHD colleagues have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action and the IMO are now engaged in negotiations with the Department and the HSE to seek resolution to a range of issues that impact so negatively on NCHDs working lives. Among the issues under discussion are the unsafe and illegal working hours of NCHDs, problems with NCHDs getting paid all their entitlements, and additional supports around training and rotations.  The July changeover has been particularly problematic and the IMO has been representing your NCHD colleagues across multiple sites where in some cases NCHDs received no pay on changeover, for the majority there were ongoing issues around incorrect payment and ongoing application of emergency tax.  The IMO Consultant Committee and our individual members are 100% supportive of their NCHD colleagues in their fight to get fair treatment and we thank you for your support.  The IMO and the NCHD Committee want to agree solutions to avert industrial action but we need to see sustainable solutions that will make a difference.

  

The IMO is the Trade Union representing ALL members of the medical profession from graduation to retirement.

 

It is only through our combined strength of numbers and solidarity across the profession that we can affect the real change that will make a positive impact on working conditions and enable much needed recruitment.