Nurses at St Joseph's Hospital in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, resumed industrial action yesterday over the placing of beds in corridors, writes Chris Dooley.
Their union, the Irish Nurses' Organisation, accused the South-Eastern Health Board of failing to meet a commitment to remove the beds, which led to the action being suspended last month. The board said it regretted the nurses' action and was available for talks to resolve the issue.
About 150 INO members voted by a large majority in favour of the action because of serious overcrowding at the hospital, which is undergoing major redevelopment.
The nurses' action involves a refusal to carry out "non-nursing duties" such as making beds and taking telephone calls. In a statement yesterday, the health board requested the public to limit telephone contact with the hospital to essential calls only.