Christmas Day service for strike, say unions

THE country’s health services will be reduced to a “Christmas Day” operation with emergency cover only on November 24, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has been warned by trade unions.

Public sector unions met with HSE management yesterday and according to IMPACT national secretary for health Kevin Callinan, initially the managerial delegation outlined services it considered should be offered in spite of the 24-hour strike by public servants.

However, that was quickly dismissed by the worker representatives. “We told them it would be a Christmas Day-type close-down,” said Mr Callinan.

The unions put it to management that if the HSE were to take that onboard, the unions would work with them in order to provide the essential cover where necessary.

Earlier in the day, the country’s solely public service union had said only “essential and emergency” cover would be offered on the day and that cover would be “tightly defined and will not extend to matters other than life or immediate health-threatening situations, or other situations where it would be irresponsible not to provide cover”.

The union also outlined how services outside health would be affected. It had already told education employers that no services at all will be provided in the sector on the day and it has written to local authority employers to say that only emergency fire services will be considered essential.

The union has also told management that cover in the civil service will be limited to the coast guard service, a limited met office service to ensure safety at sea, emergency forensic investigations, opening the Oireachtas, and court appearances where failure to appear would be deemed contempt of court.

IMPACT said it has set up strike committees in 100 of its public service branches across the country, and said arrangements were well under way for the day.

A number of public service unions have still to complete their ballots for action on November 24. The results of ballots among three teachers’ unions with a combined membership of around 65,000 should be known today, but sources indicated last night they could have around 80% backing for industrial action which would close schools and colleges on November 24. The Irish Federation of University Teachers already has a mandate from its 2,000 members for action and will support any strike by sister teaching unions.