Covid test centre Swabbers condemn failure to honour review of pay rates

SIPTU members employed as Covid test centre swabbers are calling on the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to directly intervene to resolve their dispute with the HSE and the Department of Health concerning a review of pay rates for these essential workers.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Damian Ginley, said: “This dispute centres on the failure of the HSE and Department of Health to honour clearly written commitments to have the Covid test centre swabber grade reviewed as part of a wider job evaluation scheme for health sector support workers.

“Our members are appalled and angered at the lack of respect being shown to swabbers. Covid test centre swabbers provide a key role in the test and trace approach adopted by this Government in response to the pandemic. When test centres were rolled out across all counties, swabbers took up temporary positions to support the Government in meeting the enormous demands faced on the service at the height of the pandemic.

“They met these demands in very challenging environments when there was enormous uncertainty as to the severity of the virus and very limited access to PPE. These workers put both themselves and their family members at risk to serve in the Government response to the pandemic.

“All our members are seeking is for the commitment to allow the swabber grade to be considered under the support staff job evaluation scheme to be honoured. They were available to partake in evaluations only to have their review appointments cancelled by the HSE.”

He added: “Despite numerous attempts to have this matter resolved our members were left with no alternative but to seek an urgent referral of the dispute to the Workplace Relations Commission. As the Government proposes to significantly scale back current Covid testing facilities from 30th June, our members are requesting that the Minister for Health personally intervenes at this late stage to ensure that this matter is addressed immediately.”

SIPTU members working as support staff vote for strike action in selected hospitals

SIPTU members employed as health service support staff have voted by 94% to 6% in favour of taking strike action in selected hospitals from Tuesday, 7th March, in a dispute concerning breaches of the national public service agreements and their exclusion from concessions provided to other emergency department workers.

The ballot of the over 10,000 SIPTU members employed as health service support staff was counted today (Monday, 13th February).

SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell said: “The response from our members is clear and emphatic. The size of the vote in favour of strike action undoubtedly demonstrates our members’ anger with the Health Service Executive and Department of Health due to their failure to give them the fair and equal treatment they demand.

“These issues include a failure by management to adhere to the fully binding provisions of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and Haddington Road Agreement. The most crucial elements that have not been adhered to include the reintroduction of a job evaluation scheme and the application of incremental credit to interns.

“The other central issue in this dispute involves the granting of concessions by the HSE and the Department of Health to nurses working in emergency departments which have not been extended to other workers.”

He added: “It has never been our members’ desire to engage in strike action, which will obviously put additional pressures on the health service. However, after fifteen months of management obstruction and intransigence, our members have been left with no option but to commence strike action. This will begin with full the withdrawal of labour, for a number of hours per day, on 7th March.”

The all-out strike involving over 10,000 health support staff workers will initially take place in 39 acute hospital facilities across the country.

 Paul Bell said: “This strategy is our members’ preferred option to reduce the impact on the public. We have three weeks to the expiry date of the strike notice so there remains ample opportunity for the issues in dispute to be resolved. However, for this to occur there need to be a change in attitude and approach of management.”

The following is a list of the hospitals where SIPTU support staff members voted in favour of strike action:

  • Connolly Hospital, Dublin
  • Central Mental Hospital, Dublin
  • Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin
  • Coombe Women’s and Infants University Hospital, Dublin
  • National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin
  • Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, Dublin
  • Incorporated Orthopaedic Hospital of Ireland, Dublin
  • Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin
  • Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin
  • Killarney Community Hospital, Kerry  
  • Tallaght Hospital, Dublin
  • Beaumont Hospital, Dublin
  • James’ Hospital, Dublin
  • Mater Hospital, Dublin
  • St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin
  • Cavan General Hospital, Cavan
  • Mullingar General Hospital, Westmeath
  • Portlaoise General Hospital, Laois
  • Dublin Dental Hospital, Dublin
  • Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services, Dublin
  • South Tipperary General Hospital, Tipperary
  • St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny
  • Wexford General Hospital, Wexford  
  • Cork University Hospital, Cork
  • Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork
  • Bantry General Hospital, Cork
  • Mercy University Hospital, Cork
  • University Hospital Kerry
  • Letterkenny University Hospital, Donegal
  • Sligo University Hospital, Sligo
  • University Hospital Limerick
  • University College Hospital Galway
  • Merlin Park Hospital, Galway
  • Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, Offaly
  • Naas General Hospital, Kildare
  • St. Colmcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin
  • Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, Meath
  • Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, Louth
  • Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, Louth

 

National Strike Ballot

SIPTU members working as support staff in more than 35 hospitals across the country will begin a ballot for strike action on Monday, 23rd January, in a dispute resulting from breaches of the national public service agreements and their exclusion from concessions provided to other emergency department staff.

SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “It is deeply regrettable that our members in these hospitals feel compelled to take this action. The hospitals to be balloted have been selected due to our members’ belief that the issues in dispute are particularly acute in these facilities. It is expected that additional hospitals will be added to this initial list of facilities after balloting commences on Monday, 23rd January.

“The failure of the HSE and Department of Health to resolve a number of issues has led to a situation where our members have been forced to contemplate strike action. These issues include a failure by management to adhere to the fully binding provisions of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and Haddington Road Agreement. The most crucial elements that have not be adhered to include the reintroduce of a job evaluation scheme, to pay interns or apply incremental credit and double time payments.

“The other central issue in this dispute involves the granting of concessions by the HSE and the Department of Health to nurses working in emergency departments which have not been extended to other workers.”

He added: “The balloting process will commence on the 23rd January with the result scheduled to be announced on Monday, 13th February. This means there is still ample time for the HSE and Department of Health to address all the outstanding issues of concern for our members, something they have failed to do over the preceding 15 months.

“SIPTU has directly communicated our concerns to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris. In response the Minister has called for dialogue to resolve the outstanding problems but this has not led to any genuine action by either the HSE or Department of Health.

“In the result of strike action, our members will do everything in their power to ensure that the disruption to the public is minimalised.”

To download an information leaflet from the web click here

To download an information sheet on the App click here

The initial list of hospitals where SIPTU support staff members will be balloted.

Connolly Hospital, Dublin
Central Mental Hospital, Dublin
Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin
Coombe Women’s and Infants University Hospital, Dublin
National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin
Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, Dublin
Incorporated Orthopaedic Hospital of Ireland, Dublin
Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin
Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin
Killarney Community Hospital, Kerry
Tallaght Hospital, Dublin
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin
James’ Hospital, Dublin
Mater Hospital, Dublin
St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin
Cavan General Hospital, Cavan
Mullingar General Hospital, Westmeath
Portlaoise General Hospital, Laois
Dublin Dental Hospital, Dublin
Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services, Dublin
St. Ita’s Hospital Portrane, Dublin
South Tipperary General Hospital, Tipperary
St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny
Wexford General Hospital, Wexford
Cork University Hospital, Cork
Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork
Bantry General Hospital, Cork
Mercy University Hospital, Cork
University Hospital Kerry
Letterkenny University Hospital, Donegal
Sligo University Hospital, Silgo
University Hospital Limerick
University College Hospital Galway
Merlin Park, Galway
Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, Offaly
Naas General Hospital, Kildare
St Colmcilles Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin
Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan
Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda
Louth County Hospital, Dundalk

SIPTU working on job evaluation scheme for support workers in the health service

SIPTU representatives discussed the planned reintroduction of a job evaluation scheme by the HSE for support grade workers in the health service, which is due to commence on 1st October 2016, at a meeting in SIPTU college on Thursday, 25th August.

SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “Job evaluation is a vital component of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. This meeting marks the beginning of our members’ active participation in the process of reintroducing such evaluations for support grade workers in the health service. Members across the country are being trained to assist in the completion of evaluations in their workplace and are being supported in this process by SIPTU organisers.”

He added: “For the purpose of accelerating the process a number of sites and services, will be identified on a regional basis for initial evaluation. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be consulting with our members to identify groups or grades of staff to prioritise for the initial phase of the evaluation process.”