SIPTU Health Division members in 30 hospitals will take industrial action on 30th September as part of the Union’s campaign to force the Government to commence negotiations on a new public service pay agreement.
This follows an overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action, in a ballot counted on 31st August in Liberty Hall, Dublin, and centres in Galway and Cork.
“Our demand is clear; the Government must come to the negotiating table with the ICTU Public Services Committee and begin negotiations on a successor public-service pay agreement,” SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said.
“Our members have made their position clear. They want a new public service pay agreement, and they want Government to engage in a proper negotiating process with the ICTU Public Services Committee.”
The previous agreement, which expired on 30th June, covered more than 80,000 SIPTU members across the public service.
Figgis said: “Health workers have continued to deliver essential public services under enormous pressure. They have repeatedly been asked to do more with less, to work additional hours and to provide the goodwill necessary to keep services operating.”
He added: “Our members have suffered from the effects of the cost-of-living crisis the same as other workers. They deserve to have pay negotiated on their behalf by union representatives.”
On 30th September, SIPTU Health Division members will conduct a work-to-rule in 30 hospitals across the country. They will withdraw from voluntary additional labour such as non-rostered overtime. Members will continue to attend their normal rostered shifts, perform their normal duties and comply with their professional and statutory obligations.
“This action is not directed at patients or service users but the health service cannot indefinitely depend on workers providing unlimited additional goodwill to compensate for staffing and resource pressures”, Figgis said.
“The issue before Government is straightforward. Public-service workers are entitled to have their pay and employment conditions negotiated through their union representatives. We are asking Government to stop delaying and come to the table with the ICTU public service unions. If Government wants to avoid further industrial action, there is a very simple solution: come to the table and negotiate.”
Figgis said: “Our members are not looking for confrontation for the sake of confrontation. They are looking for negotiations. The Government can resolve this issue. It can instruct its representatives to enter a public service pay process with the ICTU unions. That is what we are asking for.”
“Thirty hospitals will be involved in the first phase of our action. Further actions in our campaign will ultimately depend on the Government’s response. Public service unions remain ready to negotiate. The Government should now show the same commitment.”
See the list of hospitals involved below:
- 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