THE union representing 6,000 student nurses has confirmed they will begin strikes from early March if pay cuts for its members are not reversed.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) will hold a protest rally in Dublin today in what it says is the second phase of its campaign to reverse the cuts to pre-registration nurses and midwives.
This afternoon a delegation will meet with some of the political parties.
An INMO spokesman said the announcement by Health Minister Mary Coughlan that a review had been initiated of the decision to cut fourth-year pay had been considered by the union. The spokesman said the review was welcome but not enough.
"The statement is also inadequate as it appears to suggest that the outcome of the review will still lead to a reduction in pay with the amount being unspecified and the proposed review is also wholly inadequate as it does not include a reversal of the pay cut imposed upon current fourth years undertaking the pre-registration placement," he said.
"If there is no resolution, the organisation will ballot all fourth-year pre-registration nurses/midwives for a withdrawal of labour with industrial action commencing in early March."
The INMO said the pay cut has been referred to the Labour Court following an LRC conciliation hearing, will be the subject of a payment-of-wages claim to the Rights Commissioner and will be referred for investigation under equality legislation.
"Pre-registration nurses and midwives are the lowest paid grade in the health service," said INMO general secretary Liam Doran. "They work full rosters, replacing qualified staff and are filling gaps in the service that otherwise would have to be paid at staff nurse/midwife level. This government decision was wrong, is fundamentally flawed and should be reversed, without equivocation, immediately."
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 16, 2011
