Early signs of breakthrough emerge in nurses' dispute

Early signs of breakthrough in the nurses' dispute emerged this afternoon after the employers and unions indicated a willingess to enter talks without preconditions.

The Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) today announced an escalation of its rolling industrial action with plans for 50 new work stoppages next Wednesday and Friday.

But the unions reiterated they were available for "meaningful negotiations" without preconditions and called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to engage in such talks.

It is believed the HSE will enter discussions almost immediately if the unions call off their action and removed any precondition relating to a date for the start of a 35-hour week.

INO general secretary Liam Doran told RTÉ radio the escalation of the industrial action, would be suspended if the HSE agreed to meaningful talks.

"We are not saying that a date for the 35-hour week is a required statement up front by the employers to have discussions and negotiations started," Mr Doran said.

The Taoiseach yesterday repeated the Government's insistence that the claim can only be addressed through the public service benchmarking process. Mr Doran today said that "creativity" in negotiations could lead to a "move into benchmarking".

The action planned for next week entails one-hour walk-outs at hospitals, clinics in some cases affecting services. Other services will also be hit if the fourth week of industrial action goes ahead.

Counties Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Offaly, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, Louth, Cavan, Longford and Westmeath will be affected.

The unions say their joint action will allow for "sufficient numbers" of staff to remain on duty to provide essential and emergency cover.

The HSE yesterday claimed there had been a number of "near misses" in relation to patient care as a result of previous walk-outs.

But PNA chairman Liam McNamara reacted with derision to the claim at its annual conference yesterday.

In a joint statement today, the unions said the HSE and Department of Health were engaging in scaremongering and generating "unnecessary anxiety amongst patients".

"Notwithstanding this groundless attack on the standing and commitment of their employees the support of members at this week's work stoppages again demonstrated the solidarity and absolute commitment of all members to this campaign for equity and the equal treatment of nurses and midwives vis-à-vis all other health professionals and management grades in the health service."

"The escalation announced today will mean that all major acute hospitals, together with the mental health services in the same geographic area, will have been involved in a work stoppage, in addition to the ongoing work to rule," the statement said.

Nurses are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a reduction of their 39-hour working to 35 hours.

INO/PNA WORK STOPPAGES

(Week 4)

Wednesday, 25 ^thApril 2007

Friday, 27 ^thApril 2007