SIPTU welcomes the commitment from Minister Harris to address Union members concerns over the availability of infection rate data
This morning, (Tuesday, 2nd June) SIPTU representatives held a highly productive meeting with the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, at which union officials outlined the serious concerns members have over the need for full and transparent data to be made available concerning the 7,900 health workers who have contracted the Covid-19 virus.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Paul Bell said, “SIPTU representatives are satisfied that the Minister fully understands our concerns and we welcome his commitment to ensure that all questions posed by SIPTU, on behalf of our members and on behalf of health workers in general, will be answered in due course. We have also accepted the Minister’s offer to facilitate a meeting between the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and SIPTU Health representatives. This meeting is set to take place later this week.”
He added, “SIPTU representatives have accepted an invitation from the Minister to meet again with him early next week to discuss the concerns of over 42,000 SIPTU members, who work in all grades, in both public and private hospitals, in nursing homes and other health facilities. They need to know his future plans for dealing with the Covid-19 crisis and its aftermath.