Sir - I write as an individual professional nurse to point out some anomalies in the Labour Court recommendations issued last Friday. I feel that the most professional approach was taken by the Executive Council of the INO in postponing (not cancelling) the impending strike in order to allow all its members the opportunity to examine the document.
Firstly, staff nurse's are the only grade of staff to receive a financial inducement to vote against strike action. There is no pro rata increase for any other grade of nurse. Secondly, it sounds great to have achieved early retirement at age 55, but again the sting in the tail specifies that in order to retire at 55, one must have 35 years' service. Considering that to commence the training course of three years and two months, a student must be 18 years old, someone in the Labour Court has not passed basic maths if he thinks that a nurse can retire at 55 years with 35 years' pension!
I was fortunate, after 19 years as a staff nurse, to receive a promotion in January 1997. With great expectation and excitement, I ripped open my envelope on January 31st to examine my pay slip. Yes, I had received an increase! I was now £36 a year better off, which netted out at £1.02 for the month. Oh joy, how would I spend it? Blow it altogether or save the 2p a month?
incidentally, the figures for the Beef Tribunal made interesting reading over the weekend, as did the tiny column relating to the third pay review for TDs. I reckon that to achieve Mr. Gleeson's fees, I would have to work on my present salary for 48.5 years, whereas I don't think any politician would even bother getting out of bed in the morning to earn my salary! - Yours, etc.,
Willbrook Lawn,
Dublin 14.