Nurses meet over pay demands

The two main nursing unions will meet today to discuss the Labour Court’s rejection of its pay demands.

The Irish Nurses’ Organisation and Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, which represents 40,000 nurses and midwives, had also appealed for a reduction in the working week from 39 to 35 hours.

The Labour Court however stated claims could only be addressed through the public service benchmarking process, which the unions previously pulled out of.

The union’s eight claims, which the Labour Court heard in June, included parity of pay with therapeutic grades, the introduction and payment of a Dublin living allowance, a review of premium payments, calls for the elimination of the anomaly which sees qualified and unqualified childcare workers paid more than all staff nurses and midwives, and an examination and review of nursing and midwifery career progression.

The executives are to discuss the recommendations this morning ahead of a press conference later today.

The INO and PNA are calling on all members to voice their concerns at a major rally in the Helix, Dublin City University, on Wednesday, November 22.

Two other nursing unions – SIPTU and IMPACT – are currently pursuing their claims through benchmarking.