INO nurses to strike over A&E conditions

Nurses are to strike over alleged overcrowding and excessive workloads in Accident and Emergency units next month.

Mr Liam Doran, general secretary of the Irish Nurses Organisation, today said hospital management boards had failed to deal with daily chronic overcrowding, volumes of work and security issues in these departments.

INO staff will stop work in 46 A&E departments around the country for two hours on March 13th. This strike will be extended to weekly three-hour strikes from Wednesday 20th until the issue is resolved. The union said emergency response teams would remain on standby.

A continuos work to rule will also begin on March 13th with INO members withdrawing from clerical and administrative work. The INO represents more than 28,000 nurses nationally.

The INO announcement follows a decision by SIPTU - who represent about 10,000 nurses - to ballot its members on industrial action over the same issue.

SIPTU spokesman Mr Oliver McDonagh, said promises of beds, refurbishment of A&E units and "talking shops" would not bring immediate help to nurses in these departments.

"We want an emergency action group to make an immediate impact on this issue," Mr McDonagh told ireland.com. He criticised the "vested interests" of consultants and family doctors, who he claimed, are abusing the beds system.

On RTÉ radio, the Minister for Health Mr Martin this morning announced the establishment of an A&E forum where nurses, consultants, family doctors and hospital managers could find solutions to difficulties at A&E units.

A spokesperson for his office said details of the forum would be published shortly.