INMO recommends that members vote for Labour Court proposals
The INMO has recommended that their members accept proposals aimed at resolving their recent strike.
The Executive Council of the nurses and midwives union is recommending its nurses vote in favour of proposals aimed at resolving their dispute with the government over pay and staff shortages.
The deal they will vote on includes guarantees that new nurses and midwives can reach a higher pay scale in less than two years.
It also rules out the possibility of split shifts where members might be required to go home for a number of hours before returning to finish out their hours.
40,000 members took part in three days of strike action in February, before suspending their action following a Labour Court recommendation.
However, the union was unhappy with elements of the new contract, including redeployment and shift duration.
Tonight, the INMO says there is no longer reason to fear the contract, after the Labour Court ruled in its favour on disputed elements, including split shifts and the length required for new entrants to reach a higher pay scale.
They will now put the deal to their members in a ballot, beginning on April 8.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “This Labour Court recommendation is a total vindication for what the INMO has said about the government’s draft contract.
The government’s proposals were completely unreasonable and we are glad to see the Court has recognised this. There is no longer anything to fear in this new contract.
“The nurses and midwives of our Executive Council have now decided to fully recommend this deal to members. It does not resolve all our issues, but we believe it is a significant step forward for nurses, midwives and patients across Ireland.
“This deal gives our health service a real chance to recruit and retain nurses and midwives and compete with international recruiters. The deal includes safe staffing levels, increases in take-home pay, and more promotional opportunities," she said.
