Nurses begin protests in pay-claim dispute

Nurses are due to hold the first in a series of planned protests today as part of an escalation of their campaign for improved pay and conditions.

Members of the Irish Nurses Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association will hold the hour-long protest outside Cork University Hospital at lunchtime.

The two unions say their actions will not affect services at the hospital.

The INO and PNA are seeking a 10% pay increase for their members and a reduction in their working week to 35 hours, saying the improvements are needed to bring nurses' conditions in line with those of other health professionals.

The Labour Court has declined to rule on the claims, saying the nurses should pursue the matter through the benchmarking and social partnership processes.