Private hospital puts 8% pay cut proposal to staff

A LEADING private hospital has asked staff to agree to pay cuts of up to 8%, work practice changes and potential redundancies as part of short-term cutbacks.

The Whitfield Clinic in Waterford has confirmed it is seeking the cost-saving measures which are due to come into effect by the end of the month.

The Irish Examiner understands that in a letter from Whitfield chief executive Dr Jim Madden on January 24, all staff were told they were facing the likelihood of pay cuts or increased hours on the same level of pay.

A second letter, sent on February 3, gave further details of the planned cuts.

The letters are understood to have detailed a number of options, including:

* A 4% pay cut for all staff, increasing the full-time staff working week to 37 hours and pro-rata increased hours for part-time staff.

* An 8% pay cut for all staff and no change in contracted hours. The cuts are due to take effect from February 28.

Further discussions on the possibility of redundancies are also believed to have been raised. However, the private facility had yet to clarify the matter at the time of going to press.

The private hospital, which was established in late 2006, is run by Dr Jim Madden and controlled by the Irish-based Euro Care International and private hospital operator Ascent Health ltd.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a hospital spokesperson confirmed the “short-term cost-saving measures” have been put to staff but said staff and management have yet to agree to any plan of action.

“To date, all negotiations have been unsuccessful. The management regret that an agreement has not yet been reached on these negotiations.

“However, they are fully committed to finding the best possible solution for all parties involved,” it read.

A statement from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said it had recently been made aware “of the intention of management to adversely alter the terms and conditions of staff ... in a bid to make cost-savings”.

The union’s industrial relations officer Liz Curran said while requests have been made to Whitfield Clinic representatives for a meeting to discuss the planned cuts, these requests have been “ignored” by management.

“Our members working in the Whitfield Clinic have chosen to be professionally represented on this issue by the INMO, yet management continues to deny the union to negotiate on behalf of our members,” Ms Curran said.

“The Whitfield Clinic is the only private hospital in the south-east which denies its employees the opportunity to be represented by their chose trade union,” she added.