SIPTU has deferred industrial action planned for University College Hospital in Galway (UCHG) next week following talks with the Western Health Board yesterday on the proposal to cut 169 jobs.
The talks were adjourned until Monday, but the union said that progress had been made. The health board confirmed that it had agreed to re-hire four contract healthcare workers who had already been let go. It has also agreed to examine budgetary headings with the union to see where savings can be made.
The crisis over the cuts arose last month when the board informed its members that it could be forced to lay off 200 people to meet a levy of €1.15 million demanded by the Department of Health and Children.
Both IMPACT and SIPTU have demanded that savings be made in other areas and ward clerks attached to SIPTU have balloted in favour of a work-to-rule from next Monday at UCHG.
Meanwhile, medical and nursing posts are among a range of jobs which will remain unfilled in the Mid-Western Health Board this year following orders from the Department of Health to make savings. The board's chief executive, Mr Stiofán de Burca, is to tell a board meeting today that €85 million will have to be saved by not filling 65 full-time positions.
This follows the announcement by the South-Eastern Health Board yesterday that it had been asked by the Department to make savings of €850,000 in the current year through the non-filling of 60 posts.
The savings in the south-east are to be achieved through a freeze in filling planned management/administrative posts. These include dental surgery assistants, finance and personnel staff, medical secretaries, reception staff and general management staff.
Monitoring of employment levels will take place to determine whether the required savings can be achieved through the delayed filling of replacement posts.
Health board members were assured at yesterday's board meeting in Kilkenny that current employment levels would not be reduced and that the corrective measures would not impact on planned or existing posts in the medical, nursing and paramedical areas. Administrative support posts involved directly in patient services are also ring-fenced.
Meanwhile, a report to go before the Mid-Western Health Board today will outline the posts which will remain vacant in Limerick and Clare for the rest pof the year in order to keep costs down.
In the report, Mr de Burca states: "The sector which will be hit hardest will be the management/administrative category, where 33.5 full-time positions will not be filled. Other sectors that will be hit include medical/dental (4); nursing (7); paramedical (5.5); maintenance (1) and support/other (14)."