SIPTU Health Members Consider Strike Action Over Ongoing Delays

SIPTU health members are to ballot over possible strike action in a dispute over a job evaluation scheme.

The union said the strike action is being considered due to delays as a result of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health setting a conclusive date for the reintroduction of a job evaluation scheme.

SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: "SIPTU represents over 30,000 workers in support grades across the health service. They work on the frontline and have endured years of cutbacks. As a consequence, they have been doing more work for less. A core component of the Lansdowne Road Agreement was that the vital role of these workers in the health service would be recognised by the lifting of the suspension of their job evaluation scheme. The scheme's operation was suspended under the FEMPI legislation." 

He continued: "The continued failure of the HSE and Department of Health to set a concrete date for the re-introduction of this job evaluation scheme is totally unacceptable. So far, our members have received five separate commencement dates for its re-introduction, all of which have failed to materialise. Understandably, our members are very frustrated and have now decided that they have no option but to ballot for strike action in order to force a just solution to this situation."

(MH/CD)