• MLSA AGM 2024

  • Industrial Action 2022

    On the pickets at the Coombe Hospital in May 2022

  • MLSA Agent training November 2024

  • LabCon 2026 Save the Date

    LabCon 2026 will take place on 17th & 18th April in the Lyrath Hotel Kilkenny
  1. JOIN THE MLSA
  2. MLSA Membership Types - What It Costs

MLSA Membership Types - What It Costs

 

Details of all MLSA membership types and the cost are summarised in the table below. Please contact [email protected] if you have a query.

The cost of full MLSA membership is 0.7% of basic salary, up to a maximum cap that is determined annually on 1st January based on the fourteenth point of the staff grade medical scientist salary scale. The fourteenth point was €70,229 on 1st January 2026, therefore the cap for 2026 is €491.60 annually, €40.97 monthly or €18.91 fortnightly.

The cap on subscriptions applies to any member whose annual gross basic salary exceeds the fulltime salary at this point. Any additional income above the cap will not be subject to a subscription fee. Please note that the same cap will apply for all members regardless of working hours.

If you pay by deduction at source, your payroll department will deduct 0.7% of your basic salary (up to the amount of the cap) and send it to the MLSA. The deduction will be itemised on your payslip.  If you change employer, you will need to authorise your new employer to continue this deduction. You can do this by sending the MLSA a new signed mandate for the deduction, which can be found on the MLSA membership application form. We will amend your membership record and forward the mandate to your new employer so that your subscription continues.

If you pay by annual EFT or cheque or by standing order, it is your responsibility to ensure that you maintain the correct subscription and pay it in a timely manner so that you do not fall into arrears. The MLSA rulebook states that members in arrears for more than 3 months can be deemed to have ceased their membership.

Click here to download an MLSA application form.The form is a fillable pdf that can be saved and returned by email to [email protected] or by post to Membership, MLSA Head Office, 4th Floor, LIberty Hall, Dublin D01 E5Y3.

 

  MLSA Membership Types

Full Member
  • Subscription is 0.7% of basic salary excluding allowances, subject to a cap equlivalent to 0.7%  of the 14th point of the staff grade medical scientist scale.
  • Automatic pro-rata deductions for reduced hours if member pays by deduction at source (DAS)
  • Payment by DAS or annual electronic fund transfer / cheque
  • Monthly standing order payment allowed only if employer does not support DAS (new applications)
  • Full membership benefits:
    • Individual representation
    • Collective representation
    • Voting rights
    • Correspondence rights (website access, newsletters and member emails)
    • Access to MLSA Advantages (Cornmarket products)

Note: It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that subscriptions commence and continue, otherwise membership can be deemed to lapse after 3 months non-payment.

Note: Payment by DAS is an arrangement with the employer’s payroll department and ceases if a member moves to a different payroll.

Student membership

 

FREE

 
  • Available for fulltime undergraduate students for the period of their course and clinical placement only. Members are recorded as Student in their Member Status.
  • Membership benefits and restrictions:
    • Collective representation on issues affecting students
    • Correspondence rights (website access, newsletters and member emails)
    • No individual representation because students are not employees
    • Access to MLSA Advantages but salary protection not applicable as students do not have a salary.
    • No voting rights

Note: Student membership lapses once the member has completed or left the undergraduate course. Individuals must then apply to join as full members and commence subscriptions if they wish to become full members.

Student membership – MLAs enrolled in postgraduate medical science course

 

FREE

 
  • Available for part-time postgraduate students who are employed as medical laboratory aides, for the period of their course and clinical placement only. Members are recorded as Student in their Member Status.
  • Membership benefits and restrictions:
    • No individual or collective representation  - MLAs should join SIPTU for union representation as an employee
    • Correspondence rights (website access, newsletters and member emails)
    • No access to MLSA Advantages because student is employed at a different grade.
    • No voting rights

Note: Student membership lapses once the member has completed or left the postgraduate course. Individuals must then apply to join as full members and commence subscriptions if they wish to become full  members.

Unpaid Maternity Leave

 

Free for duration of unpaid leave

 
  • Members who notify the MLSA of upcoming unpaid maternity leave are recorded as Maternity Leave in their Member Status.
  • Members must continue subscriptions during paid maternity leave to avail of free membership during unpaid maternity leave.
  • Members with salary protection should contact Cornmarket to discuss their policy subscription.
  • It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that subscriptions recommence on their return to work, otherwise membership can be deemed to lapse from 3 months after return.
  • Full membership benefits continue during the unpaid maternity leave.

Note: Members who do not notify the MLSA that they will be on unpaid maternity leave risk their membership lapsing if their subscriptions cease for more than 3 months.

Unpaid Sick Leave, Compassionate Leave or fulltime Carer’s Leave

 

Free for first year

 
  • Members who notify the MLSA of upcoming unpaid sick leave, compassionate leave or fulltime carer’s leave are recorded as Sick Leave in their Member Status
  • Members must continue subscriptions during paid sick leave to avail of free membership during unpaid sick leave.
  • It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that subscriptions recommence on their return to work, otherwise membership can be deemed to lapse from 3 months after return.
  • After the first year of unpaid sick leave or if the member is moved to TRR, the member should contact head office to arrange extended sick leave membership  - see below.
  • Full membership benefits continue during the first year of unpaid sick leave, compassionate leave or fulltime carer’s leave.

Note: Members who do not notify the MLSA that they will be on unpaid sick leave, compassionate leave or fulltime carer’s leave risk their membership lapsing if their subscriptions cease for more than 3 months.

Note: Members on Carer’s Leave who work part-time as a medical scientist must continue to pay subscriptions pro-rata.

Extended unpaid Sick leave, Compassionate Leave or fulltime Carer’s Leave

 

 

€25 / year.

 
  • Members who notify the MLSA of extended unpaid sick leave, TRR or fulltime carer’s leave exceeding one year are recorded as Extended Sick Leave in their Member Status.
  • Members must continue subscriptions during paid sick leave to avail of grace membership during extended unpaid sick leave or TRR.
  • It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that subscriptions recommence on their return to work, otherwise membership can be deemed to lapse from 3 months after return.
  • Membership benefits and restrictions:
    • Collective and individual representation
    • Correspondence rights (website access, newsletters and member emails).
    • Access to MLSA Advantages but salary protection will either be activated or not applicable
    • No voting rights

Note: Members who do not notify the MLSA that they will be on extended unpaid sick leave or carer’s leave risk their membership lapsing if their subscriptions cease for more than 3 months.

Note: Members on Carer’s Leave who work part-time as a medical scientist must continue to pay subscriptions pro-rata.

Retired correspondence membership

 

FREE

 
  • Retiring members who advise the MLSA of their retirement and who provide a valid personal email address are recorded as Retired Correspondence in their Member Status.
  • Membership benefits and restrictions:
    • Correspondence rights only (website access, newsletters).
    • No voting rights or representation.
    • No access to MLSA Advantages salary protection
    • Retired members can choose to unsubscribe at any time.

Members who retire without notifying the MLSA or who do not provide a personal email address will be recorded as Retired in their Member Status and will no longer have website access or receive MLSA newsletters.

NOTE: The Executive Committee decided in March 2025 to discontinue correspondence membership for new applicants. Existing correspondence members have the option to renew their membership until the end of 2025 provided they paid by 31st March 2025. From !st January 2026, no correspondence membership will be available except for retired medical scientists who were members up to their retirement date.

 

Requests for Refund of MLSA Subscriptions

The MLSA policy on subscription refunds is available here.