THE TRADE union Impact has said that 100 additional posts in the health sector are to go as part of further cuts to be introduced by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Impact said that it had learned that the 100 posts are to be suppressed in the Dublin/Mid Leinster region as part of new cutbacks. It also said that the HSE is to put in place a region-wide ban on overtime, reduce maintenance services to emergency cover only and that one as yet unidentified residential unit is set to close.
The union published details of what it said was a new range of cutbacks to coincide with lunchtime protests in 28 locations around the country against recruitment restrictions introduced by the HSE over recent months.
The HSE yesterday invited Impact to meet with senior management next Monday with a view to agreeing a process towards resolving the current dispute which has seen about 28,000 staff in therapy, managerial and administrative grades operating a work-to-rule for the last three weeks.
It said that contrary to claims by the union there was no embargo on recruitment in place within the public health service.
The HSE said that since January 2008, more than 3,400 posts had been approved to be filled to bring total staffing levels across the health sector to 128,000.
Impact has pointed to official HSE documents given to the health authority's board last month which showed that there were nearly 2,700 fewer staff on the payroll than there were last August when the recruitment restrictions were first introduced.
From last Monday the union escalated the current dispute and instructed members not to co-operate with HSE corporate management by attending meetings or providing details on issues such as employment levels, budgetary developments and monthly activity statistics.
The HSE warned last week that staff taking part in the escalated industrial action could face disciplinary procedures.
Speaking at the protest at HSE headquarters in Dublin yesterday, Impact national secretary Kevin Callinan said that it was disappointed by attempts by health service management to bully and intimidate staff as well as by comments by HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm in the media at the weekend which sought to link the industrial action with absenteeism levels and "skiving".
"This has had the effect of strengthening the resolve of our members. It has created a lot of anger and resentment. We believe that he has been very badly advised," he said.
Mr Callinan said that the union had a mandate for full industrial action and would be reviewing its campaign on a continuous basis.
Impact said that the campaign was designed to affect HSE bureaucracy rather than patients.
However, the HSE said that the dispute would eventually affect patient services as the organisation's ability to maintain important performance/non-performance measurement processes were being targeted.
HSE assistant national director for human resources Norah Mason said: "There are tried and tested industrial relations mechanisms available to all parties to avail of - if people are really willing to engage in a meaningful discussion about staffing in the health services. As a first step towards such a dialogue, we have invited Impact to meet with us next Monday."
Impact also said yesterday that 10 beds were to close in South Tipperary General Hospital for a three-month period over the summer to allow for annual leave.
It also said that a succession of lost occupational therapy posts in Carlow and Kilkenny was causing huge gaps in services for children.
The HSE said that the number of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists around the country had increased.