Nursing unions to resist ‘yellow pack’ jobs plan

Nursing unions will boycott Health Minister James Rei-lly’s plan to employ 1,000 graduates in “yellow pack” jobs paying just €85 a day.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association will confirm the move at a press conference tomorrow, which could leave the multimillion-euro cost-cutting plan in ruins.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner last night, an INMO spokesperson said the conference has been organised to announce a “boycott” of the positions, which the union said were effectively yellow pack jobs.

Under Dr Reilly’s plan, announced last week and revealed by this newspaper in November, 1,000 nursing graduates will be offered the two-year roles early next year.

This offer of the €22,000 a year positions is a de facto 20% pay cut on the €26,400 standard nurse starting salary.

At the time, the HSE said the proposed policy would help young nurses get on the employment ladder.

INMO general secretary Liam Doran said the move would further downgrade a vital part of the health service at a time when staffing levels and morale were already at significant lows.