Fórsa and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation have served notice of industrial action to the HSE today, marking an escalation in the dispute over the effect of the HSE’s ‘Pay and Numbers Strategy’ which imposed a fixed employment ceiling across all health services, in addition to suppressing all posts that were vacant on the 31st December 2023.
The two health unions have served three weeks’ notice of the action and union members in both the HSE and Section 38 voluntary hospitals have been instructed to engage in the action, commencing with a work-to-rule and other non-cooperation actions, from Monday 31st March.
Fórsa and the INMO have created Joint Organising Committees (JOCs) in each health region, designed to gather localised information on vacant posts and staff shortages that the HSE has refused to provide.
Following a meeting of these committees on February 27th, INMO President Caroline Gourley and Cathaoirleach of Fórsa’s Health and Welfare Division Clodagh Kavanagh noted the significance of two of the country’s largest healthcare unions working together to call out the glaring issues with the HSE’s ‘Pay and Numbers Strategy’ and its ongoing impact on staff and patient safety.
Both unions have advised that other phased action, including work stoppages, will be considered should there be a requirement to escalate the dispute.
