Press Release

SIPTU members working as support staff vote for strike action in selected hospitals

Date Released: 13 February 2017

SIPTU members employed as health service support staff have voted by 94% to 6% in favour of taking strike action in selected hospitals in a dispute concerning breaches of the national public service agreements and their exclusion from concessions provided to other emergency department workers.

The ballot of the over 10,000 SIPTU members employed as health service support staff was counted today (Monday, 13th February).
 
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell said: “The response from our members is clear and emphatic. The size of the vote in favour of strike action undoubtedly demonstrates our members’ anger with the Health Service Executive and Department of Health due to their failure to give them the fair and equal treatment they demand.
 
“These issues include a failure by management to adhere to the fully binding provisions of the Lansdowne Road and Haddington Road agreements. The most crucial elements that have not been adhered to include the reintroduction of a job evaluation scheme and the application of incremental credit to interns.
 
“The other central issue in this dispute involves the granting of concessions by the HSE and the Department of Health to nurses working in emergency departments which have not been extended to other workers.”
 
He added: “It has never been our members’ desire to engage in strike action, which will obviously put additional pressures on the health service. However, after fifteen months of management obstruction and intransigence our members have been left with no option but to commence strike action.
 
The all-out strike involving over 10,000 health support staff workers will initially take place in 39 acute hospital facilities across the country.
 
Paul Bell said: “This strategy is our members’ preferred option to reduce the impact on the public. We have three weeks to the expiry date of the strike notice so there remains ample opportunity for the issues in dispute to be resolved. However, for this to occur there needs to be a change in attitude and approach from management.”

 
The following is a list of the hospitals where SIPTU support staff members voted in favour of strike action:
 
Connolly Hospital, Dublin
Central Mental Hospital, Dublin
Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin
Coombe Women’s and Infants University Hospital, Dublin
National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin
Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, Dublin
Incorporated Orthopaedic Hospital of Ireland, Dublin
Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin
Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin
Killarney Community Hospital, Kerry  
Tallaght Hospital, Dublin
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin
James' Hospital, Dublin
Mater Hospital, Dublin
St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin
Cavan General Hospital, Cavan
Mullingar General Hospital, Westmeath
Portlaoise General Hospital, Laois
Dublin Dental Hospital, Dublin
Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services, Dublin
South Tipperary General Hospital, Tipperary
St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny
Wexford General Hospital, Wexford  
Cork University Hospital, Cork
Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork
Bantry General Hospital, Cork
Mercy University Hospital, Cork
University Hospital Kerry
Letterkenny University Hospital, Donegal
Sligo University Hospital, Sligo
University Hospital Limerick
University College Hospital Galway
Merlin Park Hospital, Galway
Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, Offaly
Naas General Hospital, Kildare
St. Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin
Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, Meath
Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, Louth
Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, Louth