Unions unhappy as HSE refuses to improve deal
The health body has also told unions it will not extend the deadline for applications for the scheme past the end of the month.
So far the HSE says it had more than 7,000 expressions of interest from staff members considering the terms.
On offer to primarily administrative and managerial staff but also support staff is the chance to leave the HSE with either voluntary redundancy of three weeks’ pay per year of service plus statutory or, for those over 50 years of age, the chance to retire early with full pension entitlement according to years of service.
Management and unions met in the Labour Relations Commission yesterday to discuss the HSE’s requirement to reduce its workforce by 5,000 people.
The commission had been asked by IMPACT union to mediate over four issues:
- The terms of the redundancy scheme.
- Information available to HSE workers.
- Management proposals to address gaps in the system which will emerge.
- The lack of consultation and engagement before the scheme’s announcement.
After three hours of talks, the union leaders emerged disappointed. They said the HSE had refused to increase the terms or consider extending the deadline.
IMPACT also criticised the HSE’s refusal to attend a Labour Court hearing on matters related to the proposed scheme.
Union national secretary Louise O’Donnell said it was clear the HSE had not planned to deal with the service implications of large-scale staff reductions, even though Croke Park deal offered a vehicle for doing so.
A further LRC conciliation meeting has been scheduled for next Monday.
“IMPACT asked the LRC to insist that HSE management share information about expressions of interest by grade and location and engage with the union over the potential implications for service users and the staff left behind,” she said. “It should be possible to agree priority areas if management accept that large-scale redundancies will mean some services can no longer be provided in the same way.”
Ms O’Donnell also called for arbitrators to be appointed before December 1.
