Health workers set for industrial action with wider ‘escalation’ threatened

Public health employers have been served with notice of planned industrial action at the end of the month.

Fórsa, Ireland’s largest public service trade union, said it continues to prepare other actions over a pay dispute with the Government.

It served formal notice of industrial action commencing on September 30 was issued to employers in the health sector, including the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, nurses and midwives have also backed industrial action up to and including strike.

Of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) members balloted on the move, more than 99% voted in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Members on the ground, who are working in extremely challenging conditions due to overcrowding and understaffing, have made it clear that they are dissatisfied with the lack of urgency surrounding the cost-of-living pressures they are facing.”

She added: “With no public service pay agreement currently in place, we believe the Government must face the reality of the real costs our members face: rising household costs, rising rents, rising fuel costs, rising childcare costs, and the emotional and physical costs of showing up to work well before your shift starts in the hope of getting a parking space.”

Fórsa earlier set out a range of “initial, targeted actions” including working-to-rule, refusing overtime, and refusing to co-operate with proposals to extend working patterns across a seven-day roster.

The union said that while the Industrial Relations Act requires one week’s notice of industrial action, it was following convention in the health services by providing three.

Fórsa said the additional notice period reflects the essential nature of health services and allows employers to make appropriate contingency arrangements.

It is the first in a series of notices expected to be issued to public service employers in advance of “nationwide industrial action”.

Fórsa represents members across health, local government, the civil service, education and State agencies, and said it expects employers in other sectors to be notified in the coming weeks.

The union’s head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said: “Our members provide vital public services every day.

“Serving notice today marks the beginning of a planned and proportionate escalation by public service workers who have made clear that the Government’s current position on pay is not sustainable.”

The Department of Public Expenditure said it remains available to engage on all matters, adding: “It is disappointing that the opportunity to engage on a successor agreement in recent weeks was not taken.

“It is important that both sides return to the table to work towards a public service pay agreement.

“Meaningful progress can only be achieved where both parties are open to constructive and sustained engagement, without preconditions on either side.”