Labour Court calls for further talks on home helps’ pensions

The Labour Court recommended that the HSE and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union resume talks on pension access for home helps employed by voluntary agencies. The recommendation was dated 28 July 2008. The union sought access to a defined benefit scheme similar to the one available to home helps employed directly by the HSE. The HSE said the scheme was limited to its own employees and that the voluntary agencies employing the workers had no funds for the proposal. The HSE had proposed a defined contribution scheme, which the union rejected. The Court recommended that the parties re-engage, with help from the Labour Relations Commission’s conciliation service if needed, to seek a mutually satisfactory resolution benefiting the largest number of claimants. It said the process should conclude by 30 September 2008, and the parties could return to the Court for a definitive recommendation if they did not reach agreement.