Unions to begin nationwide protests from Monday

STRIKE action by up to 40,000 nurses could potentially cripple the health service from next week.

Beginning on Monday, nurses will kick off a campaign of industrial action, starting with a lunchtime protest at Cork University Hospital (CUH). From Tuesday onwards nurses will engage in work stoppages or work-to-rule, with minimum notice to employers. Further lunchtime protests are planned for March 2, at Limerick’s Mid-West Regional Hospital and University College Hospital Galway, and March 9 at the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Psychiatric nurses will also take part in the campaign, initially joining lunchtime protests organised by the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO). If the dispute is not resolved, members of the Psychiatric Nurses Organisation (PNA) will extend their industrial action to psychiatric units on the grounds of general hospitals, acute services, counselling and addiction services, as well as geriatric and intellectual disability units. PNA general secretary, Des Kavanagh, said the work-to-rule will involve “dispensing with non-nursing duties”.

However, care of patients would be a priority during any industrial action, he said.