No resolution for talks on axing HSE positions

TALKS on the ending of 1,000 temporary positions in the HSE West adjourned last night without agreement and with unions criticising management for giving little detail on where it intends to wield the axe.

SIPTU said it had been left extremely frustrated by the talks at the Labour Relations Commission. Health organiser Paul Bell said his union started the day by asking management to provide details on how many staff members they intend to dismiss, the grades of staff who would be affected, the locations they would be taken from and the savings that would be achieved.

However, he said it did tell unions that the HSE was running at a €55 million deficit and that would reach €90m if the savings were not achieved. However, he said when pressed management admitted that even if the savings were delivered it would still only mean a cut of €30m in the deficit by year-end.

IMPACT trade union officials who attended the talks described the employers attitude to major cuts to fixed-term workers posts as “gung-ho even when there was no apparent reason for some of the posts the employers say must be cut”.

“The HSE have acknowledged that services right across the region will be severely hit if these cuts are implemented,” said IMPACT’s health national secretary Louise O’Donnell.

For its part the HSE said the LRC will engage with both sides again today.

“HSE West needs to proceed with its proposals as soon as possible given the serious financial challenges faced in the west and in order to deliver on its service targets within budget this year,” it said.