A threatened two-day strike by ward attendants at six psychiatric and geriatric hospitals in the eastern region has been deferred pending Labour Court talks.
The strike, which would have involved up to 250 staff, was due to take place today and tomorrow. It was to have been the second wave of industrial action by the ward attendants, who staged a 24-hour work stoppage last week in pursuit of an 8 per cent pay claim.
Six health board hospitals were affected. They included St Mary's in the Phoenix Park, St Ita's Portrane, Brú Chaomhín Cork Street, St Brendan's Grangegorman, Clonskeagh Hospital, and St Columcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.
The ward attendants' union, SIPTU, had announced that the dispute was likely to escalate, with plans to ballot non-nursing staff in support of their colleagues this Friday. Both sides in the dispute were invited to Labour Court talks next Monday.