Nurses protest over failure to implement 37.5-hour week

NURSES at Cavan General Hospital are staging a lunchtime protest today to express their anger at the failure by management to implement the shorter working week.

A 37.5-hour working week, which was agreed following last year’s national nurses’ dispute, has already been introduced in other hospitals nationwide.

Nurses and midwives at Cavan, who are members of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO), say they are angry and frustrated at the delay in introducing the new working time.

Agreement on the shorter working week was brokered by the National Implementation Body with effect from June 1 last on condition that it was achieved through local negotiations without any diminution in service.

A spokesperson for the Health Service Executive (HSE) said management at Cavan General Hospital were committed to introducing the shorter working week roster in the shortest time frame possible but that proposals on how it would be achieved had yet to be approved.

The spokesperson said a significant amount of work had already been done in implementing the 37.5-hour week at the hospital.

Rosters had been developed for staff in all specialities that would generate greater efficiencies in work patterns, minimise the overlap of shifts, take account of staff paid and unpaid rest breaks and be compliant with the European Working Time Directive.

The HSE said the roster offered significant benefits to patient safety and staff working conditions.

Management at the hospital have been holding talks on the issue with the Department of Health and the HSE and pointed out that the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) would be visiting the area to offer assistance.