SIPTU Health Division has today (22nd September) notified the HSE and voluntary hospital employers that more than 11,000 members across 30 hospitals will undertake a full day of strike action on Wednesday, 14th October, in a major escalation of the Union’s campaign to secure meaningful public service pay negotiations.
The strike action follows a one-day work-to-rule by SIPTU Health Division members on the 30th September.
During the work-to-rule, members will withdraw all voluntary flexibility and goodwill that employers increasingly rely on to maintain services, including the provision of non-rostered overtime and other voluntary additional duties.
The escalation comes after what SIPTU describes as the Government’s continuing failure to establish a forum for negotiations on a successor public service pay agreement following the expiry of the current agreement on 30th June.
The proposed strike action will affect 30 major hospitals across the country and represents a significant intensification of the campaign by health workers for a fair and sustainable pay deal that reflects the reality of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser Kevin Figgis said: “Our members have shown extraordinary patience since the current public service agreement expired at the end of June.
“They have continued to provide essential health services while facing soaring costs for food, fuel, electricity, gas, rent and mortgages. Yet the Government has failed to provide any meaningful forum where public service unions can engage on a new pay agreement which addresses the concerns of our members.”
Figgis added: “The work-to-rule on 30th September will demonstrate just how much the health service depends on the goodwill, flexibility and commitment of frontline staff. When that goodwill is withdrawn, the pressure within the system will become immediately apparent.
“If the Government continues to ignore the legitimate concerns of public servants, our members will have no option but to proceed with a full day of strike action on 14th October. The responsibility for avoiding that outcome rests squarely with the Government.”
“Health workers cannot continue to absorb the impact of escalating living costs while their demand for a pay agreement which is suitable to meet the growing financial crisis on their families remains ignored. Time is running out. A different approach is urgently required.
“The Government must recognise that public servants need a pay framework that is responsive to the economic realities facing workers and their families. Our members need a deal to address the cost of living crisis and recognise the erosion of public service pay due to spiralling inflation over the last couple of years.
“This dispute is not about taking action for the sake of it. It is about securing dignity, fairness and financial certainty for workers who keep public services functioning through some of the most challenging periods in the history of the State.
“Our members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial and strike action because they know the status quo is no longer sustainable. They are demanding a fair process, meaningful engagement and a pay agreement that protects living standards. Our members are determined that their voices will be heard by Government.”
SIPTU said the industrial and strike action is aimed at compelling the Government to engage constructively with public service unions on a successor agreement that addresses the growing gap between workers’ incomes and the cost of everyday living.
The Union stressed that members do not take industrial action lightly, but believe the Government’s failure to provide a suitable forum for negotiations has left them with no alternative.
The strike action will take place in the following hospitals:
- Beaumont Hospital
- Cavan Monaghan Hospital Group
- Children’s Health Ireland at Connolly Hospital
- Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin
- Children’s Health Ireland at Tallaght
- Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street
- Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown
- Cork University Hospital
- Cork University Maternity Hospital
- Kerry University Hospital
- Letterkenny University Hospital
- Louth County Hospital
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
- Mayo University Hospital
- Mercy University Hospital
- Merlin Park University Hospital
- Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore
- Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan
- Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
- Portiuncula University Hospital
- Sligo University Hospital
- St James’s Hospital
- St Luke’s General Hospital
- St Vincent’s University Hospital
- Tallaght University Hospital
- Tipperary University Hospital
- University Hospital Galway
- University Hospital Limerick
- University Hospital Waterford
- Wexford General Hospital