HEALTH SERVICE management and unions are considering proposals to establish a new industrial council or forum which would be aimed at providing a mechanism dealing with disputes involving the 130,000 staff employed by the HSE.
Senior HSE management, including chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm, as well as top- level Department of Health officials met union leaders on the proposals last week.
According to a briefing document prepared by the group of unions in the health sector, the new industrial council or forum would consider disputes or issues where management and unions at local level had been unable to reach agreement.
It suggested the one possible structure for the new council could involve the appointment of an independent chairman, on the agreement of all parties, and two permanent representatives nominated by management and the trade unions.
It also proposed that there would be two representatives who would attend the council from the particular area in which the dispute centred.
One of these would be appointed from an agreed or elected cohort of representatives for each area as well as one appointed by HSE management.
"In principle, the forum would work on issues where agreement is deemed to be impossible at local level," the briefing document states.
"To this end, on occasion, if the forum felt that not enough effort had been done at local level, it would refer the issue back to the local parties to resolve.
"If appropriate, the forum might offer to play a conciliation role at local level or appoint someone to do so on its behalf," the document states.
According to the briefing material, typically the forum would deal with issues relating to pay and conditions, work practices, service transfers, promotions, demotions, etc.
The forum would also deal with appeals on disciplinary issues that had failed to be resolved locally.
The briefing material suggested that the forum could normally issue recommendations within 14 days of hearing a case.
The documentation suggested that the introduction of such an industrial council or forum would "make change easier and reduce unnecessary and avoidable blocks to introducing change".
It also said it would reduce unnecessary conflict and differences and increase people's confidence in having their problems investigated and addressed in a timely and better way.
It is understood the Department of Health has concerns that the introduction of such a council dealing with pay and conditions could affect the traditional role of the Department of Finance in this area.
The Department of Health is expected to set out its response to the forum proposals later this week.
