Attention All INMO Members

FROM:    Liam Doran, General Secretary


Dear Member

This is a brief update in relation to the latest set of discussions taking place with regard to a possible extension of the Croke Park Agreement.

Today’s talks involved managements from the four main sectors (Health, Education, Local Authority and Civil Service) meeting with their respective unions to provide information with regard to the nature of their pay expenditure in 2012.

In this context the INMO, together with all the health sector unions, met with health sector management this morning.  The management side provided the union side with the levels of expenditure in all areas of pay e.g. basic pay, allowances, overtime, agency etc.

Arising from the initial briefing the health service unions tabled 10 questions/issues for clarification which have been given to the management side.  These questions are essentially seeking more detailed information, under some of the headings, including the savings arising from the proposed further reduction of 2,400 staff, in the health service, in 2013.

No discussions took place today with regard to what the management side are seeking, in terms of savings, and this is expected to become clearer next week.

It has been agreed that the next meeting will take place, again between health sector management and unions, on next Tuesday morning, January 22nd.  The other sectors are also to reconvene next Tuesday.

At this morning’s meeting, and before any discussions took place in relation to any other matter, the INMO raised the issue of the graduate nurse/midwife programme and the HSE’s announcement to extend the deadline for applications and to seek applications from 2010 and 2011 graduate groups.  The INMO delegation clearly stated that this was an overt attempt to introduce a new lower paid grade of staff nurse/midwife in breach of the current agreement and amounted to nothing more than to introduce cheap labour.  The INMO also stated that this issue must be positively addressed and all current pay scales fully respected, as part of these discussions seeking an extension to the current Croke Park Agreement.  In the interim the boycott campaign remains in place and will be intensified.

A further update will issue, with regard to these Croke Park discussions, following the engagement on next Tuesday.

Thank you for your attention to this note and please bring it to the attention of all members in your workplace.

Yours sincerely


LIAM DORAN
General Secretary