A report into what the Government has described as a €1 billion pay and conditions claim by nurses and midwives is expected to be published by the Labour Court today.
The two main nursing unions, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), have a list of eight demands including pay rises and the introduction of a 35-hour working week.
While INO spokesman Liam Doran said he had no advance knowledge of what would be in the Labour Court's recommendations, a rally planned for later this month would go ahead in any event. Mr Doran also warned the Labour Court recommendations would have to include progress on the issue of an "anomaly" under which care staff who report to nursing staff earn more than the nurses for the first 21 years of a nurse's career.
A previous rally held in June was attended by 1,500 nurses and midwives, a week in advance of the submission of the claims by the two unions at the Labour Court. Similar numbers of staff are expected to attend the next rally in the Helix at Dublin City University on November 22nd.
The two unions have also opted out of the benchmarking process, saying it "cannot address the legitimate concerns" of their members. Speaking to The Irish Times last night, Mr Doran said the INO/PNA were determined that nurses and midwives achieve a reduction in the working week which would bring them into line with all other professionals working in the Irish health service. He said there were 40,000 nurses and midwives awaiting the recommendations. The unions had been awaiting change in this area for more than 25 years.
Mr Doran said the sequence of events over the next few weeks would go ahead regardless of the report's recommendations. Following the Labour Court recommendations, the executive of both unions will meet separately to consider their options.
