Striking nurses are due pay rises of €2,000 – HSE
NURSES who are set to strike on six dates for pay rises from the end of this month are already in line for pay rises worth up to €2,000 over the next two years, according to the HSE.
But some nurses would benefit by up to €8,700 if they accepted other deals that are on offer, a Government department has revealed.
The HSE said the average staff nurse’s earnings were now approximately €53,000 including overtime and allowances. This will rise by around €2,000 to €55,000 by 2020 under the current public sector pay deal, according to a spokesperson.
However, when other agreements on offer are taken into account, the figures are much higher for some nurses according to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
A spokesperson told the Irish Independent that a newentrant nurse, with six years’ experience, at the current midpoint of the staff nurse scale of €36,383 will benefit by an additional €8,700 approximately by the end of 2020.
As well as pay rises due under the existing deal, this figure includes increments, an additional package worth €3,000 for 10,000 nurse and midwives employed since 2011, a proposed 20pc increase in certain allowances and faster progression to senior grades.
Figures supplied by the HSE show that basic pay for staff nurses at the top end of the pay scale after 14 years of service – excluding allowances or other payments – will rise by €1,730 under the current pay deal. Basic pay for a staff nurse at the top of the pay scale will increase from €45,701 to €47,431 by 2020.
The highest grade of clinical nurse manager’s basic pay will rise from €63,747 to €66,160.
At the lower end of the scale, a graduate’s starting pay will rise from €29,346 to €30,609 a year by October 2020.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation wants further increases to bring its members’ pay on a par with staff like respiratory technicians – whose basic pay is more than €7,000 higher at the top of the pay scale.
Hospital patients face the threat of disruption from January 30 as more than 40,000 nurses are set to go on strike.
The INMO announced a series of stoppages yesterday
unless the Government agrees to pay rises and claims that low wages are causing a recruitment crisis.
Its members plan to strike on January 30 for 24 hours and, if the dispute is unresolved, on further dates on February 5, 7, 12, 13 and 14.
The nurses and midwives will provide only life-saving care and emergency response teams during the stoppages.
The Psychiatric Nurses Association, representing another 6,000 nurses, will announce strike dates tomorrow.
However, there was a significant development yesterday as Health Minister Simon Harris issued a statement to invite the INMO to talks next week.
Graduate nurses claimed they are being offered higher wages in the UK and general secretary of the union Phil Ní Sheaghdha said the number of UK employers recruiting nurses would escalate after Brexit. “The time for goodwill is over,” she said.
However, the Government was warned it faces knock-on claims from other public servants if nurses get extra pay.
Paul Bell, of Siptu, said that other workers would “not ignore the fact” if the Government made pay awards outside the terms of the current Public Service Stability Agreement.
Nurses face serious repercussions if they go on strike including delayed pay rises, an increment freeze and loss of a deal worth €3,300 to recruits.