IMPACT ‘will not be intimidated by Harney and HSE’

IMPACT trade union last night said it will not be intimidated into ending the industrial action which is crippling the financial administration of the HSE, despite Health Minister Mary Harney adding to the criticism of its 20,000 health service members.

Negotiations between HSE management and the trade union at the Labour Relations Commission all but collapsed in the early hours of yesterday morning, with union representatives saying the discussions had achieved almost nothing. It appears increasingly likely HSE chiefs will be forced to start suspending staff who, for the last three months, have refused to collate and present key financial and service data.

Health Minister Mary Harney said the continued full payment of those staff could not be justified.