Union action aimed at disrupting management

STOPPAGES:THE CURRENT campaign by trade unions is aimed at disrupting management and administrative functions in the public service rather than affecting the public directly. However, some members of the public have been inconvenienced by the industrial action and this is likely to continue.

All parent teacher meetings are now expected to be scheduled for during class time rather than after school. Other extra-curricular activities could be affected in the future.

Lower-paid civil servants, who are members of the CPSU, have been carrying out stoppages at various public offices during lunchtime with very little notice provided to management. This action has seen the Passport Office and some social welfare facilities having to close at lunchtime on certain occasions.

All the main unions are refusing to co-operate with management reform plans including provision to redeploy staff.

However, given the Government moratorium on recruitment, some health sector sources have said that a refusal by the unions to allow personnel to be moved around where necessary could see units hit by staff shortages having to close in some cases in the future.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said that its members would be confining themselves to the provision of direct patient care and would withdraw from assisting management in expansion or transformation plans.