Nurses union criticises HSE refusal to enter talks

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has criticised the HSE for refusing to enter into talks with them at the Labour Relations Commission, over a pay dispute concerning agency staff.

The row, which centres on recent pay cuts for agency nurses, has caused some disruption to health services over the last two weeks.

Nursing unions have recommended that agency staff should not make themselves available for work at the new lower rates.

The HSE says it will not attend talks scheduled for later today, because it wants to get clarification from the Department of Health first, as to the grounds on which this issue was referred to the LRC in the first instance.