Nursing Unions Suspend Planned Escalation

The Irish Nurses Organisation and Psychiatric Nurses Association have agreed to suspend a planned escalation of one-hour work stoppages in over 50 hospitals due to take place later this week. The announcement was made after talks between the nursing unions and the National Implementation Body.

Liam Doran, General Secretary of the INO, said a basis had been agreed for talks tomorrow on nurses’ claims for a 35-hour week and a 10.6% pay increase.  He said the negotiations would be hard, and that the suspension of one-hour work stoppages would be kept under daily review. The work-to-rule by 44,000 nurses will continue.

A delegation from the health service employers had talks with the NIB earlier this afternoon. The nursing unions had previously said they would enter meaningful talks without preconditions.