Stoppage at Galway hospital disrupts services

SERVICES at the main hospital serving Galway were severely disrupted yesterday as 350 catering and support staff, who are members of SIPTU, began a series of one day stoppages.

The official action, over a move to privatise catering services at University College Hospital, Galway, did not curtail emergency services or surgical procedures scheduled for the day, according to the Western Health Board.

This was because SIPTU nurses, other SIPTU members and members of other unions other than those working in catering, laundry, security and ancillary services, including porters, were advised to work normally.

The SIPTU regional secretary, Ms Janet Hughes, warned that the workers had agreed to hold a two day stoppage within a fortnight and this, unfortunately, would cause greater inconvenience.

SIPTU, she claimed, had put forward grounds for a possible resolution during three days of talks hosted by the Labour Relations Commission, which broke down on Thursday. The union has rejected an offer to redeploy 17 catering staff.

With the building of new kitchens at UCHG, the most effective option was to provide meals under contract, the health board chief executive officer, Mr Eamonn Hannan said. It was not proposed to reduce the numbers of permanent staff, while kitchen staff were being offered redeployment, he added.