Health care staff may look for additional leave

Health care staff such as porters, radiographers and ambulance personnel may seek the additional leave that is being offered to emergency department nurses.

Under a deal reached on Monday night to avert a planned strike, nurses in emergency departments are to receive two additional leave days in 2016 and 2017 in lieu of meal breaks not taken.

However Siptu has signalled that it may now lodge knock -on claims on behalf of its members in hospitals.

Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said he would be studying the terms of the deal reached with emergency department nurses.

He said he refused to rule out making similar claims.

Siptu represents healthcare assistants, nurses, ambulance personnel, porters, cleaners, caterers and radiographers.

However Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said the resolution of the dispute between the HSE and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation will not lead to similar claims from other unions.

He was speaking on the way into Cabinet on Tuesday morning after the strike planned for seven hospitals was called off overnight.

“I’d be very surprised if unions weren’t looking for interesting things to advance the interests of their members. That’s what they’re paid to do,” he said.

"But from the Government perspective the negotiating stance of the Department of Health certainly with my Department is that we have a public sector pay deal.

“I’ve allocated €300 million of our scarce fiscal space to increased public sector pay next year. We need to spend money on front line services and that’s what we’re going to do.”

He said the public sector pay horizon was dermined by the Landsdowne Road agreement and that remained the “fixed position” of Government.

“Of course trade unions will always seek to earn their keep.”