Nurses closer to strike action
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.
“The benchmarking body’s contradictory finding creates an anomaly whereby the public health nurse, who requires three distinct nursing qualifications, attained only after a minimum of six years of study, will be paid less than other community-based nursing specialists holding one registered qualification,” he said.
RMHNs claim a second benchmarking anomaly will see less-qualified care staff earn up to 2,000 more.
The latest ballot in favour of industrial action came as radiology nurses in St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin voted yesterday in favour of a work-to-rule, joining a string of hospitals around the country where nurses are also operating works-to-rule in protest at on-call remuneration rates and inadequate staffing levels.
INO representative Philip McAnenly said the St Vincent’s dispute could lead to full withdrawal of labour if management fails to improve on-call rates.
Works-to-rule are also operating in Cashel, Nenagh, Ennis and Limerick Hospitals and in James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Dublin. A work-to-rule at Bantry Hospital, Cork has been suspended until November 20 to allow mediation.
The Health Service Employer’s Agency (HSEA) industrial relations chief, Brendan Mulligan, said the militancy of the nurses was pushing the health service towards crisis point.
“Managers are being served with notice of industrial action and works-to-rule on a weekly basis at this stage, making their jobs almost impossible in terms of delivery of services.
“It is a terrible development and a terrible strain on the system and our hands are tied. The unions signed up to benchmarking process so there is no basis for the follow-on claims. INO PHN members will meet on Saturday to finalise a campaign of industrial action. A meeting yesterday between the INO and the HSEA to discuss the RMHN situation was adjourned and will resume next Wednesday, followed by a meeting of national INO representatives.
