New staff at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, as well as existing staff who are being promoted, have been asked to sign contracts that state they will move to the new national children hospital when it is built.
But trade union Impact, which represents clerical and administrative staff at the hospital as well as therapy grades, has raised objections. It has sought a meeting with hospital management to discuss the matter and has told its members not to sign the contracts in the meantime.
It is understood the Health Service Executive (HSE) asked all three children's hospitals in Dublin, which are due to be merged into one new national children's hospital on the site of the Mater Hospital, to ensure that new staff hired before the new hospital is built sign contracts saying they will move to the Mater site. Staff at Crumlin and Tallaght hospitals, as well as those hospitals' boards, have raised objections about the move to the Mater site.
Eamonn Donnelly, assistant general secretary with Impact, said yesterday the political decision had been taken to build the new hospital at the Mater, but it may not be built for years. In the interim, if something new was being put into staff contracts, it would have to be negotiated.
"We are not signing off people's rights at this stage," he said.
"If it turns out that the hospital's hand is being played by a higher authority like the HSE, we would be prepared to take the matter up with that authority," he added.
A spokeswoman for Crumlin said the hospital had always enjoyed a healthy relationship with Impact and it would be discussing the matter with them.