NIB talks to stall escalation of nurses’ dispute

THE planned escalation of the nurses’ dispute, which would have spread to 50 more hospitals throughout the country this week, has been put on hold for talks being brokered by the National Implementation Body (NIB).

However, the general secretary of the Irish Nurses’ Organisation, Liam Doran, made it clear last night that nurses will not suspend their work-to-rule until a settlement in the dispute over pay and conditions is closed.

One of the issues which could hamper the progress of talks has been this insistence by the nursing unions that their work-to-rule, now in its 22nd day, will not be suspended for the duration of negotiations.

It was crucial, Mr Doran said, that no side would set preconditions for negotiations, which are expected to get underway at 3pm today.

Last night’s development came in the wake of five hours of talks yesterday afternoon under the aegis of the NIB.

The INO and the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association (PNA) had indicated their willingness to suspend the spread of one-hour work stoppages, due to take place at more than 50 hospitals on Wednesday and Friday, if talks were scheduled.

Last night, the NIB said the talks would focus specifically on “the views of the INO/PNA on how the pay issues can be dealt with in the context of public service pay policy, and the claim for a reduction in working hours to 35 hours per week, and the issues which arise from reducing nurses’ hours”.

Meanwhile, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has warned nurses benchmarking exists to address pay claims and they can not go outside it.

Yesterday in an interview with Today FM’s Matt Cooper, Mr Ahern said the Government could not deviate from the social partnership agreement which other public sector workers had signed up to. However the Government was prepared to address their claim for a reduced working week, Mr Ahern said.

“Under 2016, we have done an agreement with all the workers of the country and we have to honour that agreement. We can’t deviate from that and I think people generally understand that.”

However Mr Ahern said a “relativity claim about a small section of staff” could be dealt with. This is a reference to a situation where a certain number of child care workers in the intellectual disability sector are paid more than the nurses they report to. He also re-iterated the offer to nurses to enter into discussions “and work towards introducing a 35-hour week in due course”.

“Nobody, including the nurses’ management, have said that that can be done in the short term,” Mr Ahern said.