IMO membership rates increase with no explanation given-why exactly?

Jane5

I just looked at my bank statements and noticed that the IMO membership monthly fee has actually increased by 15 euro per month. That's 780 euro a year for a union that hasn't successfully managed to even prevent 24 hour straight shifts and longer all across the country-DESPITE the EWTD stating this is illegal.

Have they heard there's a recession?
Did they stop us getting a paycut?
Did they keep our training grant for us?

I'm calling them next week and demanding to know why the sudden rate increase. If there is no satisfactory answer, I'm cancelling.

locum-motion

That sucks.

Both the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the Irish Pharmacy Union cut their rates by about 10% this year; the former most probably did so because of pressure from the latter.

The IPU have come in for stick from their members for alot of things, but this isto their credit. It's a pity the IMO couldn't do the same for you.

BTW, that's an extra €15 per month on top of how much, if you don't mind me asking?
And what about Medical Council registration; do you have to pay for that too?

Jane5

An extra 15.50 on top of 50 euros a month already.

And yes, we pay 500 euro a year out of our own pockets for registration with the Medical Council.

locum-motion

Sorry, re-reading your OP, I see you'd mentioned the total already.

So your IMO (= Union, right?) fees have gone from about €600 to about €780; an increase of 30%, in the middle of a recession, with a public service pension levy and public service pay cuts and negative equity and unpaid overtime and lack of training places and ... and ... and ...

How the hell do they justify that? The're supposed to be representing you! As I said, the IPU just dropped their membership by about 10%. Try ringing them up and telling them that!

Vorsprung

I'd be interested to know the reason too. Without an explanation, they'll struggle to improve their popularity, which is already low.

The cost of working as a junior doctor is getting a bit ridiculous.

nesf

Membership is mandatory I take it given it's your professional association?

Vorsprung

nesf wrote: »

Membership is mandatory I take it given it's your professional association?

Nope. NCHD membership rates increased to about 80-85% of the total NCHD cohort during the contract discussions last year, still short of the equivalent for other health care professionals like nurses. It's all optional membership for doctors.

nesf

Vorsprung wrote: »

Nope. NCHD membership rates increased to about 80-85% of the total NCHD cohort during the contract discussions last year, still short of the equivalent for other health care professionals like nurses. It's all optional membership for doctors.

Any disadvantages job wise to not being a member?

Narkius Maximus

I got a letter in novemebr from IMO saying that they were actually dropping membership fees in light of recession etc, anyone get this? I was a bit cynical myself, what with a pay off from the 1st high court case and huge surge in memebership.
Hmmmmmm, a conspiracy? A dishosnest union? In Ireland, couldn't be....?

ergo

Jane5 wrote: »

I just looked at my bank statements and noticed that the IMO membership monthly fee has actually increased by 15 euro per month. That's 780 euro a year for a union that hasn't successfully managed to even prevent 24 hour straight shifts and longer all across the country-DESPITE the EWTD stating this is illegal.

I don't think membership fees have gone up - I think this could be to do with the fact that you have moved from one category to a more senior category of doctor (but strange that this happened in January..?)


from their website their fees are as follows for NCHD's:

Intern & 1st Year SHO €441
2nd /3rd year SHO/ GP Trainee €570
4th/5th/6th year SHO & 1st/2nd/3rd year Registrar €771
4th/5th/6th year Registrar/SpR €846

I'm still paying €65.50 per month, same as I was back in November 2008

but, in a similar vein, it is ridiculously expensive. If there is not a significant reduction in the membership rates this year, especially in light of the preusmed big increase in people joining in past 12months then I'm cancelling my subscription. Actually I may well cancel, write a letter asking re reduction and if none forthcoming just not re-join.

And I haven't noticed any letter from them saying there would be a reduction but I get so many different things from them could easily have slipped through the net. The bottom line is that there is no reduction on my bank statement.

dissed doc

I;m not sure why anyone pays that money for union membership. What does it do?
- ensure safe and healthy working conditions that were bound by law years ago? NO!
- ensure adequate salaries for normal working weeks (not 100hr working weeks) - NO!

Paying ~€1500 of your gross salary per year for this nonsense is sad. My advice is just stop paying it, as they haven't accomplished anything since 1997.

sam34

i'm an spr, and its dearer for me to be in the imo than it is for my friend who's a consultant to be in the ihca, despite the fact that her salary is more than three times mine.

thats a ridiculous situation

Jane5

hmmm, maybe it is the incremental thing-although I thought that happened in July.
It's still ridiculously expensive though. I may well cancel anyway. What a rip off in the middle of a recession, after the paycuts. :mad: