Harris wants talks as second nursing union plans strikes
SIMON Harris last night attacked the decision by a second nursing union to go on strike as ‘unwarranted’.
The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) yesterday followed the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) in announcing industrial action.
Mr Harris said there is a ‘clear need for engagement’ between management and unions.
The Health Minister, extended to the PNA the same invitation to talks next week that he made to the INMO.
Privately, however, both unions say if there had been any ‘constructive engagement’ with the minister in the first place, then there would be no need for the strikes.
Union sources said that unless Mr Harris ‘yields on substantive issues’ at that meeting next Tuesday, then the planned strikes will go ahead.
The PNA’s decision to strike follows a ballot of its members last month which returned a Embattled: Simon Harris result of 95% in favour of industrial action ‘up to and including strike’.
It described as ‘totally inadequate’ proposals in the Public Service Pay Commission Report last September aiming to address the recruitment and retention crisis in nursing.
The PNA, which represents about 6,000 nurses, said members will not be available to work overtime on January 31 or February 1, 5, 6 and 7. And they will go out on strike on February 12, 13 and 14.
PNA general secretary Peter Hughes said: ‘The recruitment and retention crisis in psychiatric nursing is escalating on a monthly basis.
‘With a 40% increase in vacancies from November 2017 to September 2018, the level of vacancies is totally unsustainable and is seriously impacting on service delivery and patient care.
‘The recruitment and retention of nurses within the Irish healthcare system needs to be addressed with realistic proposals from Government as a matter of extreme urgency.’
The Department of Health said: ‘The Minister for Health notes the decision of the executive of the Psychiatric Nurses Association. The minister does not believe industrial action is warranted and could be avoided.
‘The minister believes there is a clear need for engagement and it is essential the time is used by all sides to find a resolution to this dispute.
‘In that context, health sector management has invited the nursing unions, including the PNA, to meet with them on Tuesday, January 15.’
From January 30, INMO nurses will stage the first of their 24-hour strikes over staffing and pay conditions.
They have warned that further stoppages are planned for February 5 and 7 if their pay demands are not met. The strike could escalate to a three-day stoppage on February 12, 13 and 14 unless the dispute is unresolved.
It will leave the country’s hospitals with a skeleton staff to provide life-saving care and emergency response teams.
The Public Service Pay Commission, to which the PNA referred, has found nurses’ pay is not a problem for recruiting. Nurses say low pay is driving potential candidates for posts here abroad.
The 140-page report from the PSPC, tasked with investigating problem areas in HSE pay scales, found there was no basis for a general pay increase for nurses or midwives.
It found the average pay for all HSE staff nurses and midwives last year was €51,000 including allowances, overtime and other payments.
‘Industrial action is unwarranted’
WITH the psychiatric nurses now voicing their support and indicating that it is their intention to join the upcoming INMO strike, it is time for level heads and articulate voices of reason.
It is not too late to pull what would certainly be a disastrous course of action back from the brink.
It’s time to start talking – and to put the patients first.