SIPTU members working in the Bon Secours Health System to ballot for strike action
SIPTU members working in the Bon Secours Health System are to commence a national ballot for industrial action, up to and including strike action, in an effort to secure a job evaluation process for up to 500 support grade workers.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Miriam Hamilton, said: “Following wide consultation over the last number of weeks with our shop stewards in the Bon Secours Health System, it has been agreed to ballot for both industrial and strike action across five hospital locations in Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Cork and Kerry.”
“Despite repeated requests, the Bon Secours management has refused to engage with SIPTU representatives on the implementation of a job evaluation scheme. The Bon Secours Health System and SIPTU have a long standing agreement linking the pay and working conditions of our Bon Secours members to those of workers in the HSE. The actions of management in recent weeks have threatened this link and our members won’t stand for it. Our members believe that pay movements arising from the implementation of the job evaluation scheme in the HSE should also be applied to support grade workers in the Bon Secours Health System.”
She added: “The ballot of members, to protect this vital link between the HSE and the Bon Secours Health System, will take place in the coming weeks. Management must accept that support grade workers, including health care assistants, porters, catering attendants and cleaners are essential to the running of every hospital and deserve to feel valued and respected. SIPTU representatives remain available to meet with management and we again call on them to engage with us in advance of our ballot in an attempt to find a resolution to this dispute.”