The Labour Relations Commission has been asked to intervene in the nurses dispute over working conditions and overcrowding at accident and emergency units.
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A work-to-rule began today and is threatening elective operations in a number of major hospitals around the country. University College Hospital Galway this evening canceled all non-emergency operations planned for tomorrow.
Since 2 p.m., up to 800 A&E nurses are refusing to answer the phones, take blood samples or carry out ECGs, as part of the work-to-rule.
The Minister for Health Mr Micheál Martin said this evening he had invited the LRC to become involved because "the intervention of an objective third party could provide a fresh impetus to the process . . ."
Chief executive of the Health Service Employers Agency (HSEA), Mr Gerard Barry, described the possible intervention of the LRC as the key to resolving the dispute.
He was critical of the nursing unions’ decision to embark on industrial action saying it would make a bad situation worse.
"I don’t understand the rationale behind the nursing unions in withdrawing their labour because they know better than anyone else that by withdrawing labour, patients suffer, patients’ families are anxious and there is uncertainty for the general public".
He described the work-to-rule as a "very insidious and dangerous form of industrial action" which would cause many problems on the ground and hardships to patients.
Claims from the nursing unions that here was nothing new in the latest proposals put forward by the HSEA yesterday, were refuted by Mr Barry.
Providing infrastructural projects, extra beds and extra consultants is underway and a working group to examine staffing and bed management was proposed in the short-term, Mr Barry said.
Earlier today, A&E nurses staged a two-hour strike from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at more than 20 hospitals nationwide.
An Irish Nurses Organisation spokeswoman said a number of acutely ill people required emergency treatment during the strike and this was supplied immediately in all cases.
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This evening, the INO said it would respond positively to a LRC invitation. Mr Liam Doran, INO general secretary said: "The INO membership showed total commitment to the campaign during today’s two-hour stoppage, and have now commenced a work to rule aimed at pressurising management while at the same time ensuring all patient nursing care needs are met fully."
The decision to proceed with today’s strike was this morning criticised by Mr Martin who said he regretted recent talks had prevented the action.
But Ms Catriona McHale, clinical nurse manager in the A&E Department of Beaumont Hospital defended the decision to go ahead with the industrial action because years of discussions had brought no improvement for the patients on trolleys.
Ms McHale also dismissed suggestions that the work-to-rule would affect patient care and said strict rules would be enforced to ensure patient care is not compromised. "We have no intention to place any patient’s safety at risk."
