Some 45,000 nurses throughout the State have, after last-minute talks into the early hours of this morning, suspended all-out work stoppages that were expected to bring hospitals and other health services to the point of chaos today.
In a late breakthrough, nurses' unions said talks with the National Implementation Body (NIB) marked "significant progress" in dealing with their industrial relations complaints.
The unions said the agreement provided for a reduction in their working week from 39 hours to 37.5 by June 1st 2008 and that an independent commission would report on how a further reduction in working hours can be achieved. This two-phased approach would be implemented on a cost-neutral basis.
In a statement issued at 2am this morning, the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) said they had decided to suspend the two-hour work stoppages planned for today in order to allow members consider fully, and ballot upon, the recommendations of the NIB.
However, the work-to-rule remains in place and hundreds of hospital procedures that were called off today remain postponed.
The NIB is the State's main industrial relations trouble-shooting body for for the public service. It has already been involved in a lengthy talks procedure with nurses over their pay and conditions, but talks attended by all parties failed in recent weeks.
Nurses have been involved in an almost seven-week long dispute over their pay and working conditions. They are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a reduction in their full-time working week from 39 hours to 35 hours. They have engaged in a work-to-rule action and a series of rolling work stoppages throughout the State's hospital and health facilities.
The dispute was set to escalate on Friday with a total overtime ban sanctioned by the executive of the two main nursing unions. In advance of the ballot by INO and PNA members, the HSE today confirmed that it is suspending plans to make deductions from nurses wages.
The Government and the Department of Health have insisted the pay claim by nurses can only be dealt with as part of the benchmarking process, which established rates of pay for public servants.
In a statement in the early hours of this morning, nurses' unions said latest recommendations by the NIB provide for a reduction of the working week to 37.5 hours with effect from June 1st, 2008.
"Additionally a commission, chaired by an eminent person, along with two members of international expertise in the management of health care and specifically nurse management and two others will produce an independent assessment of how the 35-hour week can be achieved," the INO said in a statement.
"Management, as part of the recommendation, have acknowledged the legitimacy of the INO/PNA objective to achieve a 35-hour working week. That commission will report within six months."
"The Labour Court will also have a role in recommending how the technical analysis, local engagement and impact on the roles and duties of other professions should be managed to secure the highest standards of efficiency and confidence," the statement added.
The Health Service Executive claimed the dispute over nurses' pay and conditions is causing major disruption to services and to patients, and that it is costing up to €3 million per week.
INO general secretary Liam Doran said this morning he proposals will offer an expanded future role for nurses which will bring further pay increases in coming years.
"There are issues there which offer great potential. These proposals have emerged and we believe, having considered them, that we are honour-bound to put them out and they warrant serious consideration by the members," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
He added that the ballot may not be held until after polling day on May 24th. "It will take at least a week to 10 days. I would imagine it will be the end of next week before it is complete, in order to allow members the opportunity to assess the proposals, discuss them and then ballot on them."