Thousands of workers who care for the elderly and disabled have voted overwhelmingly for strike action

Siptu said its members in so-called “Section 39” organisations, which receive state funding, voted by 96pc in favour of strike action in a long-running dispute over pay.

The Section 39 dispute came to prominence during the general election campaign when disability care worker Charlotte Fallon approached former Taoiseach Simon Harris on the campaign trail and claimed care workers’ low pay had been ignored.

Mr Harris later apologised for walking away from her.

The ballot was counted in Siptu’s offices today.

Today’s News in 90 seconds – 27th February 2025

Workers in Section 39 organisations want their wages to be directly linked to public servants’ pay. This would mean they would get pay rises at the same time as state employees.

Employer representatives and unions are due to meet for talks in a bid to resolve the dispute at the Workplace Relations Commission on Monday.

Organisations included in…