Staff at nursing home take to the picket lines
No talks are planned and attitudes are hardening between the kitchen, housekeeping, cleaning and care attendants on the picket line and the nursing and clerical staff who are still working and caring for the 50 residents in the home.
Director of Nursing at Springvalley Nursing Home in Enniscorthy in Wexford, Marjorie Molloy, said she respects the staff’s right to protest and work for the best pay deal possible. But she said she is disappointed that the 36 walked off the job and that their union, SIPTU, refused to provide a skeleton staff while the dispute continues..
“This used to be an old mission home for 30 priests. We’re on hallowed ground so we’re hoping for some sort of divine intervention to sort out this situation. The disputing staff were offered at 12 per cent pay rise a month ago. But they wanted over 18 per cent. I liaised with SIPTU myself to try to get emergency cover but the union said no to my request,” Ms Molloy said.
“Thankfully I have a great many friends in the profession and they are all filling in. Its all shoulders to the wheel here.
We have 50 patients, ranging from a 32-year-old who is profoundly mentally handicapped to a 97 year-old. Their care is not suffering.
“They still have their bingo and still have their occupational therapy. It is upsetting for those who can understand what’s happening outside.
“But their care is not suffering and all their relatives have been a huge support,” she said.
SIPTU’s Michael Walsh said the 12 per cent offer was conditional on members losing out extra pay for Sunday cover and night work. They would also have had to decrease their hours under the proposed deal.
They too are sticking to their guns, he said. There are still no signs of a climb down on either side or of any intervention from the Labour Relations Commission.
The disputing staff plan to continue to picket throughout the weekend. Nursing and clerical staff continue to pass the line, as do relatives and friends of the many patients inside.
While relations between both sides are cordial as ever, all fear that the longer the dispute continues, the greater threat there will be of a breakdown in relations between both sides.
