Nurses closer to strike action

AS thousands of nurses prepare for industrial action, health service employers have accused militant nursing unions of placing an unbearable strain on the health service.

Public health nurses (PHNs) yesterday became the latest grade to vote in favour of strike action, just one week after registered mental health nurses (RMHN) voted for action, up to and including withdrawal of labour. Both grades are dissatisfied with benchmarking recommendations which they claim will see less qualified staff on higher pay.

The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO), which represents both grades, said the health service would continue to face serious problems if nurses’ concerns were ignored. INO general secretary Liam Doran said the benchmarking body’s recommendations were unsustainable.