Irish nurses’ industrial action

Submitted by Anon on 16 April, 2007 - 8:46

Nurses in Ireland are taking industrial action over pay and working hours. 40,000 members of the Irish Nurses’ Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, seeking a 10.6% pay rise alongside a 4-hour cut in their 39-hour working week, are in the third week of working-to-rule, refusing to do clerical or IT work. One-hour stoppages have taken place across the country, including in the largest hospital in Ireland, St. James’s in Dublin.

Nurses are the only qualified group in Irish hospitals to work a 39-hour week – other grades work 35, with some clerical staff working 33. Hospital porters, organised by public sector union SIPTU, also work 39 hours – despite settling its national wage claim for the nurses it organises, SIPTU is in talks with INO around its claim for a 35-hour week for thousands of health sector workers. A victory over hours for nurses has potential repercussions for large sections of Irish workers – there are signs that other workers in the sector, such as childcare staff, will seek a similar arrangement if the nurses win, and improvements in pay and conditions in the public sector are likely to impact private health companies too.

In the run-up to a general election in Ireland, beating the unions in the health sector would be a massive gain for the right-wing Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrat government. As in Britain, the Irish health service is being privatised piece-by-piece, with massive tax breaks for private hospitals, higher charges for public patients treated in private hospitals and large-scale siphoning of public money into private hands. 70% of Irish nurses leave within three years of completing their training.

The Irish health unions are showing the way with their militant, nationally-coordinated pay campaign. As British unions discuss national action over public sector pay, they could learn important lessons.

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.