RELIEF AS NURSES AGREE TO CALL OFF STRIKE
Labour Court urges salary, training and staffing deal, amid fears of knock-on union pay claims
NURSES have called off their strikes following a Labour Court recommendation that would see thousands of nurses get higher pay.
Hospitals were set to be plunged into further chaos this week as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation prepared for three consecutive days of strike action to begin today.
The INMO confirmed last night that the Labour Court recommendation includes ‘significant changes to salary scale and allowances’.
Once staff reach the fourth level of their existing salary scale, they would move to the advanced pay scale. Their salaries would then jump from the current €33,367 to €35,806, rising to €45,841 at level 8 of this advanced pay scale.
The INMO also confirmed that the recommendation includes funding to maintain safe staffing levels, increased education and training opportunities, and an expert group to examine remaining pay demands, especially those on a more senior level. Work: Phil Ní Sheaghdha
The Psychiatric Nurses Association also suspended its planned industrial action this week following the Labour Court intervention.
PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes, said the union agreed to suspend strike action and begin talks in the next three days between the PNA, the HSE, the Department of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform – prior to a full Labour Court hearing Friday.
The HSE said last night that attempts will be made to allow services to resume as normal today, tomorrow and Thursday, but that there will still be disruption in some areas. ‘We will endeavour to do everything we can to restore normal services,’ a HSE spokesperson said. ‘However, this will not be possible in all areas.
‘Our hospitals and community-based services will make direct contact locally with patients and clients where services are restored.’
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said he would be recommending to Cabinet today that the Labour Court proposed settlement – with pay increases – be formally accepted by Government.
The cost could be an additional €200million annually.
Asked by the Irish Daily Mail if he could reassure taxpayers that the settlement would not lead to knock-on pay claims, and that it did not breach the Public Service Stability Agreement, Mr Donohoe declared: ‘I believe that the Labour Court recommendation is consistent with the agreement.’
But last night at least one other union was closely studying the recommendations. Bernard Harbour of Fórsa, which represents thousands of civil and public servants, said: ‘We will study the detail of the Labour Court recommendation regarding the nurses’ dispute, and any implications it may have for other civil and public service grades.
‘We expect that other unions will do the same, and that the ICTU Public Services Committee will consider the matter in due course.’
Speaking yesterday after receiving the recommendation of the Labour Court, general secretary of the INMO Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: ‘I think we have a lot of work to do. We have certain aspects that require further negotiation and we have to brief our executive council fully and then meet with our members.’
Health Minister Simon Harris said of the planned strike being called off: ‘This is welcome news for patients across the country but it’s also welcome news for nurses and midwives who did not take the decision to strike lightly.’
The health service would ‘do all it can in the coming weeks to catch up on the lost time,’ Mr Harris added.
‘Cost could be €200million’