Staff not doing core jobs to be redeployed - HSE

THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) has said staff who do not carry out their core jobs as part of a planned escalation of industrial action next week in protest at public sector pay cuts will be redeployed to other duties.

Following talks yesterday, the HSE and the trade union Impact reached agreement on the operation of a ban on answering phones which will form part of the escalated action. However, the issue of redeploying staff could become a potential flashpoint in the dispute.

Earlier this week, Impact announced that as part of an escalation of its industrial action campaign from Monday next its members in the health sector would: Refuse to take on work associated with all vacant posts (not just those vacant since January 25th, 2010);

Refuse to participate in work associated with the HSE’s “reconfiguration” of services (eg, in the northeast, mid-west and cancer services);

Refuse to deal with all political representations, including Dáil questions and FOI requests;

Refuse to answer telephones, including mobile phones, for specific periods on a rotating basis.

The HSE had expressed serious concern at the implications that the proposed phone ban could have on emergency services. After a meeting yesterday, the HSE and Impact agreed that derogations from the action would be put in place for switchboards and for all direct line emergency services.

The union also agreed to direct their members to screen calls related to critical services on an hourly basis to establish whether a direct action is required.

The HSE also said last night that in relation to the unions’ intention to refuse to deal with all political representations, including parliamentary questions and FOI requests, that staff whose primary role was to deal with these issues would “be reassigned to alternative similar work”.

Meanwhile, public counters at passport offices in Dublin and Cork and at some social welfare facilities were closed yesterday as part of the industrial action.

On Monday and Tuesday the executive council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation will consider an escalation of its industrial action.