Nurses were warned at the opening of the SIPTU nursing conference that they must be prepared to "dig their heels in for the long haul". All-out industrial action may be the only option, according to the union's national nursing official.
Mr Oliver McDonagh told the nursing delegates they must be prepared to be resolute. "I do not believe it is possible for the Labour Court to bridge the gap that exists between the health service employers and the unions," he said.
In some cases, nurses had been demonised because they were seen as trying to "break the bank" on the issue of pay in the public sector. Others held that nurses were instrumental in having long-standing pay anomalies dealt with. Mr McDonagh said employers had rejected recognition of long service and would not make an offer on increments or annual leave or give any recognition to longer-serving staff nurses, claiming this was dealt with by the Labour Court.