THE IRISH NURSES and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Fórsa will today serve the HSE and Section 38 voluntary hospitals with notice of industrial action.

Section 38 hospitals are voluntary hospitals which receive funding from the HSE.

The notice of industrial action is in relation to a dispute over staffing levels.

Last November, healthcare workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over what unions have labelled as a “staffing crisis” within the sector.

In November’s ballot, over 90% of members of the INMO and Fórsa voted in favour of the motion. 

In a statement today, Fórsa said the industrial action will take the form of a work-to-rule, which includes not working overtime or any other out of hours duties requested by management.

Fórsa added that a full list of instructions for industrial action will be issued today.

Elsewhere, the INMO today said it had considered the results of November’s ballot “extremely carefully” and that it left “plenty of time for the HSE to engage with trade unions”.

However, the INMO said that “despite many attempts for meaningful and inclusive consultation, the situation has not improved”.

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said “every single post to be filled must be put through a torturous and restrictive recruitment control process with multiple steps,” which can result in “recruitment decisions that take an unsafe length of time of up to six months”.

“We are now at a point where we have no other option but to serve three weeks’ advance notice of industrial action,” said Ní Sheaghdha.

It means that industrial action is currently due to commence on Monday, 31 March. 

“Our members can no longer tolerate these unsafe working conditions,” said Ní Sheaghdha.

“We can’t tolerate the HSE as employers ignoring the need to constructively engage with trade unions.”

Union Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said the workers have “no choice” but to take action in the interest of themselves and patient safety.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health, David Cullinane TD, has called on the Minister for Health to reverse the “disastrous” recruitment embargo.

The Waterford TD said that workers should not accept excuses for the government’s “mismanagement” of the health service, adding that workers in the sector were “carrying an unacceptable burden of burnout and stress” since before, during and after the pandemic.