Fórsa Health Workers to Begin Work-to-Rule from September 30 as Public Sector Pay Dispute Escalates
Fórsa, Ireland's largest public sector union, has announced that its members in the health sector will begin a work-to-rule from September 30, refusing to work overtime or cover the duties of absent colleagues, as the public sector pay dispute following the expiry of the Building Momentum agreement on June 30 continues to escalate — adding to the pressure on the government from the INMO's 99% strike mandate announced on Tuesday.
Background
Fórsa represents approximately 80,000 workers across the public sector, including a significant cohort of health service employees working in administrative, technical, and professional roles across the HSE and voluntary hospitals. The union's members in the health sector include medical scientists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, social workers, and a wide range of administrative and support staff whose work is essential to the functioning of the health service.
The Building Momentum public sector pay agreement, which expired on June 30, 2026, had provided a framework for pay increases and industrial peace across the public sector for the previous two years. The failure to agree a successor deal has left a significant portion of the public sector workforce without a current pay agreement, creating the conditions for the wave of industrial unrest that is now developing across multiple unions.
Fórsa's decision to announce a work-to-rule rather than an immediate strike reflects a strategic calculation about the most effective form of industrial action. A work-to-rule — in which workers perform only the duties specified in their contracts and refuse to work overtime or cover for absent colleagues — can cause significant disruption to services without the legal and reputational risks associated with a full strike. It also allows the union to maintain pressure on the government while keeping open the possibility of a negotiated settlement.
Key Developments
Fórsa announced on Wednesday that its health sector members will begin the work-to-rule on September 30, with the action involving a refusal to work overtime, a refusal to cover the duties of absent colleagues, and strict adherence to contracted working hours. The union has indicated that the action will continue until a satisfactory pay agreement is reached.
The work-to-rule will affect thousands of health workers across HSE facilities nationwide, including hospitals, community health centres, and mental health services. The impact will be felt most acutely in areas where overtime working and cross-cover arrangements are routinely used to manage staffing shortfalls — a common feature of the health service given the chronic difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff in many disciplines.
Fórsa General Secretary Kevin Callinan said the union had "no choice" but to take action given the government's failure to engage meaningfully with its pay demands. He said the union was seeking a pay agreement that reflected the cost of living pressures facing its members and that recognised the essential contribution of health workers to the functioning of the health service.
The combination of Fórsa's work-to-rule and the INMO's strike mandate creates a significant risk of disruption to health services in October and November. The HSE has indicated that it is developing contingency plans to manage the impact of industrial action, but acknowledged that the combination of actions from multiple unions would create "significant operational challenges."
Why It Matters
The Fórsa work-to-rule is significant because it affects a much broader range of health service roles than a nursing strike would. While nurses and midwives are the most visible frontline workers in the health service, the administrative, technical, and professional staff represented by Fórsa are essential to the functioning of every aspect of the system — from laboratory services and diagnostic imaging to social work and community therapy.
The refusal to work overtime is particularly significant in a health service that has become structurally dependent on overtime working to manage staffing shortfalls. Many HSE facilities routinely rely on overtime from existing staff to cover gaps that would otherwise require agency workers or leave services understaffed. A work-to-rule that eliminates this flexibility will create immediate and visible disruption to service delivery.
The timing — beginning September 30, just six days before Budget 2027 — is clearly deliberate. The government will be acutely aware that visible disruption to health services in the days before the budget would be politically damaging and would focus public attention on the state of the health service at a moment when it is seeking to present a positive economic narrative.
Local Impact
Across the Republic's hospital network — from the Mater and Beaumont in Dublin to Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, and University Hospital Limerick — the Fórsa work-to-rule will affect the day-to-day management of services. Outpatient clinics, diagnostic services, and community health programmes are all likely to be affected, with waiting times potentially increasing as the flexibility provided by overtime working is removed.
In community health services — including primary care centres, mental health services, and disability services — the impact of the work-to-rule may be felt even more acutely, as these services often operate with minimal staffing margins and are heavily dependent on the goodwill and flexibility of their staff to maintain service levels.
What's Next
The work-to-rule begins on September 30. The Workplace Relations Commission is expected to be involved in mediation efforts in the coming weeks, with the government under significant pressure to make a meaningful offer before the action begins. Budget 2027 on October 6 will be a critical moment: if the government announces a pay framework that Fórsa considers adequate, the work-to-rule may be suspended pending further negotiations; if not, the action is likely to continue and potentially escalate.
