The strike by emergency department nurses in seven hospitals next Tuesday is to go ahead, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has confirmed.
The union said the industrial action, a series of rolling two-hour stoppages in the seven hospitals, was proceeding because of management’s “total failure” to produce any specific, immediate measures to address understaffing.
The strike will see nurses completely withdraw from emergency departments in the affected hospitals “while maintaining an emergency response team in an adjacent area”.
Talks between the INMO and the HSE on averting the strike broke down earlier this week after four days at the Workplace Relations Commission. Employers have since claimed the main outstanding issues related to pay, and alleged the union’s demands would cost €40 million a year and break the Lansdowne Road agreement.
The INMO denied it at any stage lodged a general pay claim for all nurses in emergency nurses or sought to department from the terms of the agreement.
Assistant general secretary Dave Hughes claimed agreement was reached with the HSE on two issues relating to the filling of clinical nurse manager positions and incremental pay for graduate recruits, but that the Department of Public Expenditure subsequently overruled the HSE.
Mr Hughes said that was a “huge gap in trust” from the negotiations and this was why the strike was proceeding.
Patients whose appointments or procedures are being postponed due to next Tuesday’s strike by nurses in seven hospitals are being contacted directly, the HSE has advised.
The HSE says it is inevitable the industrial action by emergency department nurses will impact on hospital activity, including surgery lists for Monday and Tuesday of next week. Patients whose appointments or treatment is affected will be given a new date as soon as possible.
The seven affected hospitals will have contingency plans in place to minimise the impact of the strike on patients, it says. “The contingency plan will ensure emergency departments remain open throughout the duration of the industrial action should any emergency arise.”
However, patients near the strike-hit hospitals are being advised to attend their local GP, urgent care centre or minor injuries unit “in the first instance”.
The hospitals set to be affected are Beaumont and Tallaght in Dublin; Mercy University Hospital, Cork; Cavan General Hospital; Tullamore hospital; University Hospital Waterford; and University Hospital Galway.
Although the industrial action would not start until 8am, health officials believe it may be necessary to advise patients to avoid emergency departments before then.
