Planned strike at SouthDoc

PATIENTS in South Kerry who require an out-of-hours GP service this Friday could be left without vital medical care, with a planned picket to begin at SouthDoc clinics in Kerry this Friday evening.

SIPTU, which represents health-care workers at South-Doc, has confirmed that – unless an agreement is reached in the coming days between the HSE and health workers – a picket will commence at SouthDoc centres in Kerry and Cork.

This includes a picket at the Killarney centre, as well as in smaller centres in Cahersiveen and Kenmare, as well as in north Kerry.

The doctors who operate the service are not on strike, but associated ancillary staff, including receptionists and drivers, are to take to the picket line.

The dispute centres around pay restoration for health workers under the Section 39 agreement.

The dispute is between health-care workers, the HSE and the Department of Finance. SouthDoc employs the staff at its centres in Kerry but the HSE fund their wages.

SouthDoc did not comment on the situation when contacted about the planned strike.

Workers in Section 39 organisations, such as SouthDoc, had their pay cut in line with cuts imposed on workers in the public sector during the financial crisis.

Now that this pay is being restored in the public sector, however, workers, employees in Section 39 Organisations should also receive the terms of the public sector pay agreement, according to SIPTU.

However, to date, many workers have not received this pay restoration and have been left with no option but to take to the picket line.

According to Kerry’s SIPTU health activist, Donie Doody, staff were balloted on strike action and will take to the picket line this Friday, after the strike action notice expires.

“The Department of Finance has not honoured Section 39 agreements. They have agreed to settle around 50 Section 39 agreements but not in relation to SouthDoc,” explained Mr Doody.

“The HSE will not pay SouthDoc, so they can’t pay the staff,” he said.

It is expected that staff will begin picketing at around 6pm on Friday evening.

However, it is hoped that an agreement may be reached prior to this deadline in a bid to prevent the strike and to ensure the smooth operation of the out-of-hours medical service.