Potential for further SouthDoc striking

SIPTU has warned that further action may follow after some 60 SouthDoc workers at centres throughout Kerry went on strike last Friday night through to Saturday morning.

Local branch SIPTU health activist Donie Doody explained that Section 39-funded organisations suffered pay cuts early last decade.

He said that while pay restoration has been agreed with some 50 Section 39 organisations, this is not the case for many other such organisations, including the out-of-hours GP service, SouthDoc.

“Around 60 people took action in Kerry on Friday from 6pm through to 8am,” Mr Doody told The Kerryman.

“Doctors were not on strike, so you’d be talking about ancillary staff such as drivers and clerical staff.

“Those 60 people were just within SouthDoc alone. There were other groups on strike also.

“All these Section 39-funded organisations always had parity with the HSE. When the cutbacks were made in the HSE, cutbacks were also made in these organisations.

“They’ve agreed to make pay restoration to 50 Section-39 organisations already...and I can’t understand how they would come along and give it to so many Section 39s and not the rest, about 200 groups.

“I believe it’s the Department of Finance that’s holding all this up. They must give it [funding] the go ahead and give it to the Health Department, who would in turn give it to the HSE.

“We have to wait now on a response from the Department. But if there isn’t a response, there will be further strikes, there’ll have to be in my opinion.”

Strike action also took place at other affected locations in the county, such as St Joseph’s Home in Killorglin and Valentia Community Hospital.