OFFER IS AN INSULT
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NURSES yesterday slammed their pay deal as an “insult” after it emerged some staff will only get another €1,200 a year.
The three-day strike was halted after an agreement was reached in the Labour Court which gave the green light for salary hikes of €2,500.
But there was a furious reaction on social media with the realisation that many of our 40,000 health care workers will end up with less than half of that.
One said: “Such an insult to all the nurses that stood on the picket line. A replay of 1999 [the last strike]. This is nothing near pay parity and most definitely not 7.5%.
“Some grades are getting nothing. All this will do is divide the profession and turn the public against us.” Another said: “That is not what the document offers to the majority of nurses. In most instances it is around €1,500 before tax – never mind that it is only offering safe staffing levels in certain areas only and over the next three years.
“It’s an awful insult and nurses are infuriated with it. It has to be put to a vote yet.”
A third raged: “If this is true then it’s all been for nothing again. If we accept this we sell ourselves out yet again. Government ride over us again. We will be laughing stock of the world. Don’t let this happen. VOTE NO.”
But union bosses at INMO reckon they will be able to sell the deal to their members. A spokesman said: “We’ve heard the various
comments, but you must remember nobody outside the INMO and the department officials has really seen this deal.
“There is much more in it than has been leaked so far. We’re satisfied our members will be pleased with the terms once they are explained to them.” The INMO National Executive will hold regional roadshows over the next few weeks where officials will outline the terms of the plan.
A ballot is then expected to take place in a month. Speaking in the Dail, Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said the nurses she has spoken to are far from happy. She added: “If it’s not parity, it’s not a deal.”
The nurses went on strike with the expectation they would be granted pay parity in line with what other health professionals similarly qualified earn.
One young nurse said: “I don’t see any increase for me, I’ve been offered a job in Britain and I intend to take it.”
Earlier in the afternoon, RTE’S Liveline lit up with frustrated nurses telling host Joe Duffy the proposals are not a done deal with ordinary INMO members.
One caller called Catherine works at one of Dublin’s large teaching hospitals. She said her colleagues are angry at the deal she believes will only lead to further emigration.
She added: “This is a route to a two-tier health service. Australia here we come.”
Rebecca, who works in one of the main university teaching hospitals in the city, said it was fair to call off the strike to examine the deal in more detail. But she added: “I think it’s really disrespectful.”
Brid, from Drogheda, Co Louth, is a retired nurse who said the deal should have restored the 15% pay cut taken at the height of the recession.
She added: “This will successfully create a divide between everyone. “I was shocked that there wasn’t consideration for pay restoration to be given back.”