Management at University College Hospital Galway have expressed muted satisfaction that two-thirds of nursing staff have voted in favour of an agreement aimed at solving the four-week-old dispute over cutbacks at the hospital.
But it is still unclear whether the hospital management will implement the closure of a ward, after the membership of one of the two unions at the centre of the dispute voted emphatically against the package. SIPTU has pledged to continue opposing a threatened ward closure at the hospital.
Both the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and SIPTU balloted their members on the agreement over the weekend, with 86 per cent of the 247 members of the INO who voted coming out in favour of the plan when the results were announced yesterday. The INO represents over 400 nurses at the hospital.
However, 78 per cent of SIPTU members voted against the deal following the stance taken by their union officials when three days of talks concluded on Friday. SIPTU represents about 200 nurses at the hospital.
The INO negotiator, Ms Claire Treacy, said her union membership agreed the package had minimised bed closures and secured employment for temporary nurses. "We have to say that our position has been endorsed by our members. The agreement is very comprehensive and constructive and we see it as changing the face of nursing at UCHG."
A SIPTU representative, Ms Helen Murphy, said the members of her union had voted to resist ward closures. "We will not co-operate in any way with the ward closures," she said. "But we are still available for talks with management."
The SIPTU members voted against a revised package which included the continuing closure of a new operating theatre, the designation of a ward as a casualty overflow, and the closure of one ward until the end of the year.
The Western Health Board issued a short statement last night in which it said the board would not be complacent and would continue to do everything to secure the participation of all staff at the hospital. "Local management at the hospital will make appropriate arrangements over the coming week while at all times placing the interests of patients first," the statement said.
Meanwhile, up to 500 people were expected to attend a second public meeting called by the Community Health Response Group, a voluntary pressure group in Galway last night.
In a statement, the group said the package put forward by management had failed to resolve the proposed closure of beds at the hospital. "Already, the closure of one theatre has resulted in the deferral of approximately 200 operations and a further 200 for the month of December," a spokesman for the group said. "This has caused untold trauma and stress to these patients and their families."
Politicians and members of the public were invited to attend the meeting, where calls were due to be made for management to keep the ward and theatre open.
The ward and theatre closures were announced in response to a budgetary deficit at the hospital a month ago.