Staff at Drogheda hospital to ballot on industrial action

SIPTU nursing and support staff members in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, are to ballot on industrial action, it was confirmed today.

The decision to ballot relates to a number of ongoing disputes with HSE management at the facility.

SIPTU organiser, John McCamley said: "There are a number of disputes between our members and management at the hospital.

"These include the non-implementation of a number of deals which were agreed at the Workplace Relations Commission concerning the filling of vacant posts, the use of contractors and the removal of shift pay from some support grades.

"It is a matter of deep concern that processes agreed following discussions overseen by the industrial relations machinery of the State are not being implemented without undue delays by HSE management.

"SIPTU members are calling on management to agree to a reasonable timescale on approving the filling of all vacancies within the hospital.

"We are also asking management to reverse any cuts made to members’ pay and for it to uphold all the agreements it has reached with staff representatives."