04/03/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

SIPTU Nursing to attend WRC hearing this week

SIPTU Nursing representatives have today (Monday, 4th March) confirmed that negotiations between unions and officials at the Health Service Executive, Department of Health and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “SIPTU representatives have been contacted by the WRC to inform our union that a referral has been made by employers (HSE) seeking their assistance on the draft contract for enhanced nurses. SIPTU will not support a contract which seeks to destabilise a workforce, remove the concept of a recognised place of work or creates uncertainty for the workforce providing service.”

“It is incumbent that any flexibility required of the nursing/midwifery profession must be linked to the development of such policies as the implementation of SlainteCare and the development of community service, and not merely be viewed as an employer attempting to blatantly deconstruct existing working day or base locations.”

A general nursing meeting will be convened the WRC this week, followed by a mental health meeting.

SIPTU will be in attendance for both and further updates will be made available on the SIPTU Health App.

03/03/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

A new weapon in the war against low pay

From next Monday (4th March), the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, becomes the law of the land.

This vital piece of legislation gives workers on flexible and low-hours contracts new rights and entitlements on working hours and pay.

Trade union representatives fought hard for this new law. The employers didn’t want to give an inch. The new law gives more certainty to the lives of tens of thousands of workers across Ireland, particularly in hospitality, home care, retail and catering sectors, but only if the employer actually implements it.

As trade union members, we know zero-hour and low-hour contracts give employers control over the lives of workers. This power imbalance makes it very difficult for workers to speak up, plan their lives or make ends meet.

Bad employers often use the threat of reduced hours to keep workers in line and to punish workers for being unavailable for work at very short notice. This legislation re-tips the balance and makes progress in giving workers back control.

Set down in law are minimum payments for workers if their employer fails to provide them with work or sends a worker home without pay having reported for duty. Workers are also now entitled to be guaranteed hours of work that reflect their normal working week.

The practice of putting workers on a low-hour contract while in reality, they work a much longer week is now effectively banned.

The best way to enforce this law in your workplace is to ensure that every worker is in the union.

02/03/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

Nursing contract talks adjourn

SIPTU representatives have tonight (Friday, 1st March) said that talks between nursing unions and Department of Health, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Health Service Executive (HSE) officials on the details of a proposed contract of employment for the new Enhanced Nurse post within have adjourned until Wednesday 6th March.

At the discussions, SIPTU representatives raised serious concerns about the scale of the changes in the proposed new contract and informed stakeholders that SIPTU members must be consulted on any changes in their terms and conditions.

Following the meeting, SIPTU Sector Organiser, Kevin Figgis said: ‘We had a full and frank exchange with the Government departments regarding the proposed draft contract. We outlined our strong views this document will not be acceptable to our membership in its current form and significant change is required.”

SIPTU Health Division Organiser Paul Bell, said: “Elements of the proposed draft are a retrograde step backwards for nursing and midwifery. We understand the employers will consider the points made by our team and we look forward to further engagement next week.”

SIPTU Health will provide further updates to our members in the coming days.

01/03/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

Pay Boost for New Entrants kicks in today

Thousands of ‘new entrants’ working in healthcare across the public service are to receive increases in pay from today (Friday, 1st March).

The deal, negotiated by SIPTU and other unions under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) will see Ambulance Professionals, Radiographers, Nurses, Midwives and Support Grade staff recruited since 2011 receive a pay boost of up to €3,500.

The change happens when each worker affected hits their fourth and eighth increment date. This arrangement will see a pay increase and ensure that new entrants’ reach the top of their pay scales over the same time period as colleagues hired before 2011.

The term ‘new entrants’ refers to people who started work in the health and public service, and organisations linked to it for pay purposes, after 2011, when reduced pay scales for new staff were imposed by the Government without agreement.

These scales, which were worth 10% less at every point, were abolished at the insistence of the unions under the 2013 Haddington Road Agreement.

However, until now, new entrants continued to have more lengthy pay scales than their longer-serving colleagues, with two lower pay points at the beginning of each scale.

The PSSA established a process to address this problem. Following detailed discussions and inputs from SIPTU and other unions, this resulted in the solution that takes effect from today.

01/03/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

Talks on new nursing contract continue

SIPTU representatives will attend another round of talks on a new nursing contract with officials from the Department of Health, the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform  on Friday (1st March) at 2.30pm.

SIPTU nursing and midwifery members, working across acute hospital settings, will vote on a recent Labour Court recommendation once full details of a new contract for nurses and midwives is negotiated with nursing union representatives. The decision follows a meeting on Friday, 22nd February of the SIPTU Nursing and Midwives Sector Committee in Liberty Hall, Dublin.

For a summary of the Labour Court recommendation  (LCR 21901) click here

 

27/02/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

SIPTU Ambulance Professionals update

SIPTU members working in the National Ambulance Service are not currently in dispute with their employer.

Our members are working to provide vital public services in communities across Ireland.

SIPTU members are expected to report for duty as normal on Thursday (28th February) and Friday (1st March).

Should you need any additional information please email ask@siptuhealth.ie or contact your local SIPTU official.

26/02/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

Nurses Regional Meeting

A regional meeting of SIPTU members working in Nursing and Midwifery services will be held tomorrow (27th February) in Liberty Hall, Dublin 1. To book a place please contact your local organiser.

The meeting will take place at 7pm in Room 207 and will be addressed by SIPTU Industrial Organiser, John McCamley.

Information leaflets will be distributed on the night for circulation.

22/02/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

SIPTU nursing and midwifery members seek full clarification of new nursing contract

SIPTU nursing and midwifery members, working across acute hospital settings, will vote on a recent Labour Court recommendation once full details of a new contract for nurses and midwives is negotiated. The decision follows a meeting today (Friday, 22nd February) of the SIPTU Nursing and Midwives Sector Committee in Liberty Hall, Dublin.

SIPTU Nursing Sector Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “Our committee met today to discuss in detail the recommendation of the Labour Court. The committee acknowledged that a central part of the negotiation is a new contract of employment for an enhanced nurse practitioner. The specific details of this contract are to be negotiated over the next number of weeks. Having fully considered the recommendation, it was the view of the committee that such an important adjustment to terms and conditions requires the establishment of the full facts so that members can be best positioned to vote in a ballot to accept any proposed changes.”

SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said:  “Our national committee confirmed that any ballot on the recommendation will not proceed until all aspects of the revised contract is concluded with the employers.  Ultimately, we believe that our members must have the final say when it comes to any change to terms and conditions.”

20/02/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

Labour Court Adjourns

Labour Court has adjourned to consider the Union position on behalf of Mental Health Nurses. SIPTU submission delivered.

Court will communicate to SIPTU later today on its recommendation. Updates to follow.

18/02/2019 Comments are off SIPTU Health
Share:

SIPTU Nursing representatives to attend Labour Court this Wednesday

Conciliation in relation to a dispute concerning mental health services concluded today (Monday 18th February) at the Workplace Relations Commission without agreement.

The dispute will be heard on Wednesday 20th February 2019.

A meeting of the SIPTU Nurse Midwife Local Representatives Committee will be held on Friday, 22nd February in Liberty Hall. A full update will be provided at the meeting and explanatory documents will be issued for the attention of members.

Find out more


Latest News

  • SIPTU says action on work...

    SIPTU representatives have called on the Government to honou

    Read More
  • Report shows major pay ga...

    A new report from the European Federation of Public Service

    Read More

SIPTU Health Plus