Nurses suspend strike for a month to review options

Nurses in Limerick have decided to suspend their industrial action for four weeks following 12 hours of talks yesterday at the Labour Relations Commission.

Nursing unions, the INMO and SITPU, have been staging four-hour work stoppages on various days during the past month in protest against cutbacks and severe staff shortages at the Mid Western Regional Hospital.

In a statement this morning, nurses said they will suspend their industrial action for the next month, to allow a full review of rosters and resources across all hospitals in the Mid West.

A review of all day work that can be transferred to other acute hospitals in the region, to free-up beds for emergency admissions, will also be carried out.

The suspension will also allow for the introduction of structured ward rounds and improved access to diagnostics at weekends by all hospital consultants.