Difficult choices for public services in deep crisis

Faced with the prospect of three successive days on the picket line, which would undoubtedly have dampened some of the warmth towards the nurses from much of the public during the early phases of the strike, the INMO and the nurses were probably quite happy to put the dispute on hold following a pretty decisive intervention by the Labour Court.

While it remains to be seen if the nurses will accept the deal presented by the Labour Court, and the early anecdotal evidence would suggest quite a bit of dissatisfaction with the offer, the deal does represent quite a back down from the demands initially made by the nurses’ union. If the deal is rejected, then we are in for a spring of discontent, especially if early soundings from other unions are to be believed.