Nurses on picket lines across the State yesterday said they had no intention of abandoning their work-to-rule in the face of a threat from employers that their pay will be cut if they don't stop their industrial action now. Eithne Donnellanand Denise McNamarareport.
The Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) meet today to discuss how to respond to the employers' threat, which would see their pay docked by 13.16 per cent with effect from tomorrow week if they do not return to all normal duties.
The unions will announce their decision after a special delegate conference of INO members in Dublin this afternoon, but have already indicated they are seeking legal advice in relation to the move. This may result in them applying to the courts for an injunction against the HSE to stop it docking nurses' pay.
The unions have said the HSE decision could also result in their members refusing to do overtime, which could see some hospital beds having to be closed.
Minister for Health Mary Harney will address the INO conference this morning. The INO has also invited representatives of all other political parties to address delegates. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Labour's health spokeswoman Liz McManus, Minister for Children Brian Lenihan, Sinn Féin's health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, the Greens' health spokesman John Gormley and Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins are all expected to attend.
The nurses, who are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour working week, want to see which party would accede to their demands if they voted for them in the election.
Last night, the Fianna Fáil East Galway TD Joe Callinan said he supported the nurses and urged the Taoiseach to intervene in the dispute.
"I now believe that there is a lot of spin and misinformation being circulated from the HSE management about the nurses' position, which is unhelpful for proper talks and a speedy outcome. For these reasons, I am requesting Bertie Ahern . . . to intervene personally in the talks to bring about a speedy resolution," he said.
Over 40,000 nurses have been refusing to deal with non-essential phone calls or carry out clerical or IT duties as part of their work-to-rule, now in its sixth week. The HSE says this is costing it €2 million a week and it cannot sustain a situation where large numbers of staff are continuing to receive full pay while not performing all their duties.
Mr Kenny said yesterday that cutting the nurses' pay would only exacerbate the dispute while Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the plan was "ill-conceived".
Meanwhile, hundreds of nurses stopped work for two hours at six hospitals and nearby mental health facilities yesterday. The stoppages took place at Merlin Park hospital in Galway; Naas General Hospital; the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital in Cork; St Luke's in Kilkenny, Cavan hospital and at Blanchardstown hospital in Dublin.
Nurses on the picket line in Galway expressed their anger at the threat to cut their wages. Anne Burke of the INO said the workers were in the campaign for "the long haul" and were not afraid of the threat to cut their pay. John Rafferty of the PNA in Galway said it smacked of what happened back in 1913. "What are they going to do next, lock us out, is it?" he asked.
At the protest outside Cavan hospital, Tony Fitzpatrick of the INO tore up the letter from the HSE giving notice of the pay cut. "Bully-boy tactics by Mary Harney or the HSE is not going to achieve anything. It has made nurses more resolute," he said.
Gerry O'Dwyer of the HSE said over 200 patients had their appointments cancelled as a result of the stoppages. He also said many A&E units were now overcrowded and patients should see a GP if at all possible.
Nurses will stop work for three hours at four hospitals tomorrow in a further escalation of their campaign of action. These take place at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, Cork University Hospital, Limerick Regional Hospital and Galway's University College Hospital.
Nearby mental health facilities will also be affected.