This notice is applicable to all INMO members employed in the public sector with the exception of those working in intellectual disability services.
You will recall in November 2024, INMO members voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action in relation to the Health Service Executive’s arbitrary ‘Pay and Numbers Strategy’ which places extremely limited caps on recruiting much needed nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals.
Your Executive Council has considered the results of this ballot extremely carefully and left plenty of time for the HSE to engage with trade unions regarding the winding down of the Pay and Numbers Strategy in its current form. Your employer has continued to rob Directors of Nursing and Midwifery of their ability to recruit nurses and midwives based on activity levels and safety. Instead, every single post to be filled must be put through a torturous and restrictive recruitment control process with multiple steps. This means that recruitment decisions take an unsafe length of time of up to 6 months. Also, the decision is made by a person who is far removed from the location where the posts are needed, and as a result far removed from the unsafe care environment which results from this bizarre control process.
Despite many attempts by the INMO for meaningful and inclusive consultation, the situation has not improved. Nurses and midwives are as a result being left with very busy workloads, hospital occupancy levels consistently at more than 100%, and expanding service requirements in the community. We have not had confirmation of any employer engagement that would correct the unilateral approach taken to date.
We are now at a point where we have no other option but to serve three weeks’ advance notice of industrial action on your employer, the Health Service Executive and Section 38 voluntary hospitals on Monday morning. This means that the industrial action will be due to commence on Monday the 31st March. Our colleagues in Fórsa trade union, CONNECT, MLSA, who represent clerical, therapy, med lab scientists, technical and engineering grades will be issuing notice to the employer on Monday morning.
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.
We have consistently tried to avoid the need for industrial action, advocating instead for a structured, agreed and negotiated workforce plan for our members which ensures they have safe staffing levels matching activity – these calls have been ignored.
Our members can no longer tolerate these unsafe working conditions. We can’t tolerate the HSE as employers ignoring the need to constructively engage with trade unions.
We have established six regional industrial joint organising committees in each of the six Regional Health Authority areas. Last Thursday (27th February), The members of these committees met in Dublin and made it abundantly clear that the circumstances have not improved since the mandate was obtained from members.
On behalf of the INMO’s Executive Council, I am issuing this communication in advance of our serving notice on Monday. It is important that all members employed in the public health services are made aware of the next steps in progressing the issues and exercising the mandate of members received by ballot. All information about next steps will be communicated to members and you can expect to hear from us again on Monday morning with all details including what form this industrial action will take and how we will prepare for this action.
Is mise,
Phil Ní Sheaghdha
INMO General Secretary