500 hospital staff strike over €250k payment to manager

Up to 500 staff at five hospitals in the University of Limerick Hospital Group have begun industrial action over the continued employment of the group’s chief operations manager on €250,000 per year — more than twice the €116,000 that would be paid to a public servant.

Impact trade union said the staff it represents in Ennis General Hospital, Limerick Regional Hospital, Limerick Maternity Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, and Nenagh General Hospital are refusing to report to or co-operate with Liam Casey from this week.

The HSE website says Mr Casey took up a role as interim director for the UL Hospitals Group in January 2013. It does not state when he was promoted to chief operations manager.