INMO To Take Nationwide Industrial Action In March

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is to take industrial action next month due to a dispute over the health and safety of patients.

INMO Executive Council members have rejected staffing/recruitment/retention proposals put forward by the Health Service Executive (HSE) on Tuesday, 07 February.

The proposed measures were seen as "completely inadequate" in terms of retaining staff and recognising the reality of the workplace for nurses and midwives. On recruitment, the INMO said it was "too little too late" and still did not compete with services being offered in the private sector and in other countries.

As a result, the organisation said it will take nationwide action on Tuesday, 07 March.

The action will take the form of an immediate and continuous work to rule involving nurses and midwives working to contract resulting in a ban on overtime, cross cover and redeployment. The INMO also warned of further rolling stoppages if the dispute is not resolved.

INMO General Secretary, Liam Doran said: "The clear message received from INMO members is that their workplaces are now unsafe and dangerously overcrowded.

"All areas are understaffed and the services are at breaking point which will require radical solutions to take the pressure off struggling nurses and midwives.

"We need to attract and retain nurses and midwives in sufficient numbers to provide safe care and the current proposals contain no adequate remedies for this."

(LM)