Nurses and midwives in the Republic of Ireland have called off their planned industrial action to consider new safe staffing proposals.
Healthcare staff in the country had been due to begin ‘working to rule’ from today in protest over restrictions that have been put in place to growing the workforce.
“Nurses and midwives will now be balloted on the proposals”
Phil Ní Sheaghdha
However, unions have now announced a breakthrough in discussions with the Health Service Executive (HSE).
They said they had engaged in 22 hours of talks with the HSE as part of the Workplace Relations Commission and that proposals had been put forward for addressing unions’ staffing concerns.
The proposals “seek to develop and improve recruitment processes and workforce planning”, according to the group of unions, which include the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), Fórsa, Connect, Unite and the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association.
The unions have now suspended their planned industrial action to put the proposals to their members.
Phil Ní Sheaghdha, INMO general secretary, said the new proposals offered measures to make it easier for employers to fill vacancies.
“Nurses and midwives will now be balloted on the proposals,” she added.
“They will want to be assured by their employer that the delivery of safe staffing is an immediate priority.”
The unions’ concerns centre on the HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy, which was announced in July 20254 and introduced a staffing cap on all health services.
Before the strategy, employers had been subject to an HSE-enforced recruitment freeze.
Speaking today, Brian McAvinue, organiser for the Connect Trade Union, said: “Our members have faced many challenges since the introduction of the HSE’s recruitment moratorium and subsequent Pay and Numbers Strategy.
“While progress has been made, there is still a body of work to be done on the commitments made on delivering direct employment.”
HSE has been approached for comment.
