Today INMO and Fórsa’s members in health are voting to take strike action today against government’s irresponsible Pay and Numbers Strategy. The effects Pay and Numbers Strategy become impossible weeks ago.
INMO and Fórsa members are reporting impossible absolutely conditions. Magical ‘Stephen Donnelly Spin’ does not work for patient management or delivery of care.
The situation is actually impossible in ward after ward, centre after centre around the country. We’ve seen demonstrations around the country in the lead up to ballot opening.
Fórsa says:
The Pay and Numbers Strategy cannot be allowed to be a ‘done deal’. HSE employees through their unions were not consulted and that must change. Staff deserve transparency and a voice in the decision-making process. There is no point pretending the needs of this country aren’t growing. We must have realistic workforce planning that puts the right resources in the right places. We need more directly employed staff, rather than increased spending on agencies and private consultants. The HSE has entered a process of chaotic downsizing, with arbitrary decisions being made regarding the non-filling of critical frontline positions. This must stop. We need a health service built for patients and communities, that respects and supports the staff that make that happen. [https://www.forsa.ie/faqs-hse-pay-and-numbers-strategy-ballot/]
People Before Profit noted:
Over 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts have been effectively abolished as they were vacant on 31 December 2023.
Despite the massive budget surplus set aside by the Government, this cost-cutting policy is damaging our health service.
Waiting lists are years long. We are already seeing the trolley crisis starting again which is now an annual occurrence.
Now, staff are being forced to cover multiple roles and are being put in unsafe working conditions. This cannot be allowed to continue.
People Before Profit will fully support the health workers because the majority of people in Ireland depend on public healthcare and it’s too important to leave to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leadership again.
Listen to the workers: We need a reliable public health service as much as we need reliable public housing and reliable public education.
When healthcare workers went out on strike in the North over the last few years there was near total approval. It was the same here in 2019. People want their healthcare to work. We need properly funded and staffed preventative care, emergency care, treatment, after-care, reliable testing, mental health services… [https://www.pbp.ie/health-workers-are-right-to-protest/]
If you know a healthcare worker let them know that you will support their strike.
If you are in Unite, SIPTU Health or the PNA consider putting in a motion now to support the strike and stop Stephen Donnelly’s Pay and Numbers Strategy from destroying our health services.
