Louth hospitals to be affected as SIPTU announce 24 hour work stoppage by support staff

Both the Louth County Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital are set to be affected by a 24 hour work stoppage announced today by the trade union SIPTU.

According to SIPTU, members working as support staff and chefs in 38 hospitals and health care facilities across Ireland have announced a 24 hour work stoppage on Thursday, June 20.

The reason for the stoppage is in relation to what SIPTU describe as the failure to implement pay increases, arising from an agreed job evaluation scheme.

The work stoppage, SIPTU say, will involve up to 10,000 SIPTU members providing portering, household and catering services and employed as Health Care Assistants, Maternity Care Assistants, Laboratory Aides, Chefs and Surgical Instrument Technicians.

In a press release this afternoon, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary for the Public Sector, John King, said:

“It is time for the Minister for Health, Simon Harris and the Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, to step in and resolve this dispute. Failure to do this will undoubtedly bring pressures on the delivery of health services.
 
“Our members accepted the provisions of all the public service agreements since 2010. The Government must now honour its obligations contained within these agreements. It is time to deliver for these workers.  It is unacceptable that workers should be forced to go into an official dispute in order to get what they are owed.”
 
He added: “SIPTU representatives remain available for talks but such an engagement must be about the practical implementation of these outstanding awards for our members.”

Breaking News: SIPTU serves notice of strike action by 10,000 health workers in job evaluation dispute #ourSIPTU #PayJusticehttps://t.co/7BnLGxK3pH

— SIPTU (@SIPTU) June 5, 2019