21 operations cancelled as light bulb dispute intensifies

ELEVEN operations were cancelled yesterday as the light bulb dispute between health managers and electricians escalated.

A further 10 were cancelled late last night.

Clinicians at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee deemed it unsafe to proceed with an elective, or planned, ear, nose and throat operation without guarantees from electricians that they would respond in the event of an emergency.

Following a review, six gynaecological and four orthopaedic operations due to take place at the hospital today were cancelled late last night. There are fears that more procedures at other hospitals will be cancelled today if the dispute spreads.

The development came as both sides in the dispute affecting Cork University Hospital, Cork’s St Finbarr’s Hospital, Kerry General Hospital and Mallow General Hospital remained deadlocked. The row centres on work practice changes that the Health Service Executive South wants to implement.

The dispute became deadlocked over who would be allowed to change light bulbs in the hospitals and care facilities. Electricians argued this was exclusively their work, while the HSE argued this would considerably add to its costs.

The Labour Relations Commission recommended in March that the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union should allow non-electrical staff replace “small non-essential electric light bulbs”.

But the dispute escalated as a number of other issues remained unresolved.

The HSE removed about 20 electricians from the payroll on Tuesday after they refused to answer pagers or take instructions in writing or by phone.

A further 18 electricians working at acute hospitals in Waterford, south Tipperary, Carlow/Kilkenny and Wexford could be suspended from the payroll in the coming days.

The union condemned the suspension of its members and last night called for the appointment of an independent person to examine the situation and issue binding recommendations.

But the HSE, while accepting an independent review, refused to accept as binding any recommendations which may arise.

The union also denied claims that its members have withdrawn from providing cover in life and death situations.

Spokesman Owen Wills said his members have been instructed to continue providing this cover despite that fact that their on-call and call out allowances have been withdrawn.