Three Galway hospitals braced for industrial action
They are among 30 hospitals nationwide
Three Galway hospitals are braced for industrial action later this month after SIPTU health workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of a work-to-rule campaign.
University Hospital Galway (UHG), Merlin Park University Hospital, and Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe are among 30 hospitals nationwide where members will withdraw from voluntary additional labour and non-rostered overtime from September 30.
It follows a vote in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action, in a ballot counted on August 31 at regional centres in Galway and Cork, as well as at Liberty Hall in Dublin.
The union is pressing the Government to immediately commence negotiations on a successor public service pay agreement to replace the previous deal, which expired on June 30 and covered more than 80,000 SIPTU members across the public service.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser Kevin Figgis said healthcare workers have been pushed to their limits and can no longer rely on goodwill to keep services functioning.“
Our demand is clear; the Government must come to the negotiating table with the ICTU Public Services Committee and begin negotiations on a successor public-service pay agreement,” he said.
“Health workers have continued to deliver essential public services under enormous pressure. They have repeatedly been asked to do more with less, to work additional hours and to provide the goodwill necessary to keep services operating.“
Our members have suffered from the effects of the cost-of-living crisis the same as other workers. They deserve to have pay negotiated on their behalf by union representatives,” added Mr Figgis.
During the initial phase of action on September 30, members at the Galway hospitals will conduct a work-to-rule action, stepping back from voluntary overtime while continuing to attend normal rostered shifts, perform standard duties, and comply with professional and statutory obligations.
Mr Figgis emphasised that the action was not targeted at patients or service users, but warned that the health service can no longer indefinitely depend on workers providing unlimited additional support to compensate for ongoing staffing and resource pressures.“
The issue before [the] Government is straightforward,” he said. “Public-service workers are entitled to have their pay and employment conditions negotiated through their union representatives.“
We are asking [the] Government to stop delaying and come to the table with the ICTU public service unions. If [the] Government wants to avoid further industrial action, there is a very simple solution: come to the table and negotiate.”
SIPTU has warned that the possibility of further actions in the campaign would ultimately depend on the Government’s response in the lead-up to the end-of-month deadline.