Health service staff ballot for strike over job evaluations

Up to 40,000 health service staff are to be balloted for industrial action up to the possibility of strike, over what unions say is health management failure to re-open the HSE job evaluation scheme.

Unions insist job evaluation is an established tool that allows the knowledge, skill, and responsibilities associated with individual jobs — rather than grades or staff categories — to be assessed and appropriately rewarded.

While a job evaluation does not guarantee an upgrading, many staff believe their roles have grown considerably as they have taken on more work and responsibility over the years.