Fórsa and the INMO have served notice of a one-day work stoppage at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, to take place next Thursday, 3rd April.
Fórsa and the INMO served notice of the stoppage this morning, ahead of a planned work-to-rule action, across acute hospitals and other HSE sites, which is due to commence next Monday.
A delegation of unions in dispute with the HSE, representing more than 80,000 workers in public health services, including Connect, Fórsa, the INMO, the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association (MLSA) and Unite, are attending the Workplace Relations Commission today for a conciliation conference. The planned industrial action will escalate at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda in the form of a work stoppage next Thursday.
Speaking ahead of the WRC meeting this morning, Fórsa’s head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the escalation is due to reports from union members that they are being instructed by senior management, in the Dublin Northeast Region, to continue to book agency in all grades and disciplines throughout the period of industrial action that starts next week.
“This instruction demonstrates a complete disregard towards our planned industrial action, and that’s why we’ve served notice this morning to management at Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda,” she said.
INMO Director of Industrial Relations, Albert Murphy said: “The INMO, Fórsa, Unite, Connect and the MLSA will attend the conciliation conference facilitated by the WRC in good faith and make the case in respect of current working conditions of our members."
“It is clear that the rise in population growth has not kept up with demand for services and higher levels of acuity. The employer must accept that implementing strict recruitment caps is having a devastating impact on the safety of workers and the patients in their care. “Every area of the public health service, from maternity to palliative care, has felt the impact of necessary positions being left vacant."
