Nurses vote for strike action
09/11/2009 - 17:16:00Nurses were tonight the latest group of angry public sector workers to vote for industrial action over threatened Government cuts.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) revealed 85% of members voted in favour of work stoppages to protect existing pay and conditions of employment.
The union said the nationwide ballot has given it the mandate to have nurses withdraw from labour while maintaining all essential and emergency services.
Two years ago nurses staged a seven-week dispute over pay and conditions which involved a work to rule and lunchtime protests.
INO general secretary Liam Doran said the strength of the latest vote – of over four to one – confirms the depth of anger and concern among nurses and midwives.
The Government has already signalled it intends to cut around €4bn from public spending next year, with €1.3bn coming from public sector pay.
Mr Doran said the INO, through its affiliation with the umbrella group Congress, was in discussions with public sector employers to see if any acceptable agreement can be found.
“However the mandate obtained today will now ensure that the INO is fully involved, with all public sector trade unions, in whatever level, and duration, of industrial action is necessary to defend our members from any further, unilateral, cuts in their pay and conditions of employment,” he added.
The INO and other health service unions will meet health service employers on Thursday to begin the process of agreeing contingency planning for the possible first day of action, across the public service, which is scheduled for later this month.
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