LAST UPDATE | 27 Nov 2024

HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over concerns about a “staffing crisis” in the sector.

Thousands of nurses, midwives and other hospital workers employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE), such as healthcare assistants, paramedics and maintenance workers, were balloted. 

Workers employed in so-called Section 38 hospitals also voted in the ballot; these are voluntary hospitals which receive funding from the HSE.

As previously reported by The Journal, healthcare workers have consistently raised concerns about thousands of vacant roles.

A freeze on recruiting staff was lifted by the HSE in July, however managers said roles that were vacant at the end of last year are now deemed ‘non-existent’ and can’t be filled. 

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), United and Fórsa have all backed industrial action, it was confirmed today. Over 90% of members of each union voted in favour of the motion. 

The unions will now meet to discuss the outcome of the ballot and consider their next steps. The industrial action could include strikes. In this scenario, unions are required to provide a minimum of three weeks’ notice to employers.

‘No choice but to take action’

Responding to the result of the ballot, Ashley Connolly, the head of Fórsa’s Health & Welfare division, said continuing employment restrictions are putting patient services under enormous strain.

“Waiting lists continue to grow, and it’s having a damaging effect on the morale of our members who continue to deliver services. They cannot operate indefinitely in circumstances where demand outstrips capacity.”

“The HSE and the Department of Health need to wake up to that challenge. It can’t continue this way,” Connolly said.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the “staffing crisis” means “workers are relentlessly overstretched while patients are not getting the service they need”.

Our members have no choice but to take action in defence of patient safety and their own working conditions.

INMO President Caroline Gourley said nurses and midwives are “no longer willing to accept pausing the hiring of much-needed safety critical staff in a weak attempt to balance the books”.

“All autonomy has been stripped from directors of nursing and midwifery to recruit additional nurses and midwives, yet they are the ones who are expected to ensure a safe service.

“We cannot wait any longer, patients deserve a properly staffed health service that is not constantly dogged by crisis after crisis.”

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The INMO said over 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts were left unfilled in the public health system at the end of 2023. Many other roles in the wider healthcare sector also remain vacant.

A number of protests have taken place outside hospitals around the country to date, including one in Portlaoise today and another outside St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.

A spokesperson for the HSE said the organisation “will consider the results of the union ballots” once it receives “detail on the type of action proposed”.

The spokesperson added that the HSE engages “with all trade unions to resolve issues, and will continue to do so, utilising the industrial relations mechanisms of the state, should it be required”.

The Journal has asked the Department of Health for comment.