Health workers begin industrial action
Tens of thousands of health workers today begin industrial action over an alleged recruitment freeze by the Health Service Executive.
Trade union Impact said members will take part in a work-to-rule and refuse to cover thousands of vital posts left vacant by the HSE embargo on hiring staff.
Members voted overwhelmingly for action late last month claiming the ban was having a devastating effect on services but health chiefs denied a staffing freeze was in place.
The union said the action by the 28,000 workers will immediately hit the HSE bureaucracy, with staff refusing to undertake tasks, functions or responsibilities linked to the vacant posts.
It was also include a ban on all non-emergency overtime, out of hours work and co-operation with HSE reforms.
The action, involving social care workers, professionals, therapists, administrative and managerial staff and a small number of nurses, will be supported by a nationwide lunchtime protest by Impact members on June 11.
Impact served notice of its industrial action over three weeks ago after it was backed in a national ballot by 85% to 15% in the largest ever vote of its kind taken by the union.
In September the HSE announced a recruitment embargo in response to spending overruns in hospitals but in December announced it was over.
Impact claimed the freeze was re-imposed in January, banning the filling of most posts that became vacant in September as well as those unfilled before the embargo came into force.
They claim there are 2,700 vital jobs unfilled.
Impact’s Health and Welfare national secretary Kevin Callinan said they hoped to keep disruption to patient services to a minimum during the campaign.
