Unofficial strike by hospital porters is being investigated

BY DECLAN TIERNEY

MANAGEMENT at University Hospital Galway are carrying out an investigation into how services were not affected in spite of an unofficial industrial action by hospital porters last week.

There are now fears that up to 10 temporary porters working at the hospital could be laid off as a result of the lack of impact the unofficial strike had on the service they provide.

Last week staff walked out in protest at the return towork of a worker who had been absent on full pay for nine months following a violentincident at the hospital last year.

The supervisor and another member of staff had been suspended pending an investigation last December of an alleged assault after which the employee was treated for facial injuries at the EmergencyDepartment.

As many as 10 hospital porters stopped work and gathered outside UHG on Monday morning following the return to work of the employee on Sunday. The hospital porter injured in the alleged incident has also not worked since the incident but has been on full pay in theinterim.

The porters cited health and safety reasons for their refusal to work following the return of the man as they allege that hospital authorities have failed to carry out a risk assessment in advance of his reintroduction to the workplace.

 But in an ironic development, management at the hospital discovered that there was no disruption to services despite the porters being on the picket line for two days with the support of their unionSIPTU.

A hospital source has told The Sentinel that as a result of the unofficial strike, the management are now looking at cutting back on this sector and could target temporary porters as part of the overall health cuts being imposed by HSE West.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.