Nurses and midwives to ballot on work to rule

Date Published: {J}

By Denise McNamara

Nurses and midwives in University Hospital Galway (UHG) and Merlin Park will ballot for industrial action as a result of the chronic overcrowding and staff shortages at the hospital.

Although the ballot has not been sent out to union members yet, the action is likely to centre on a work to rule directing nurses to avoid any tasks other than patient care.

A previous work to rule resulted in nurses refusing to make or answer phones regarding management functions.

It may also result in rolling work stoppages.

Nurses at the emergency department at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick are to stage a four-hour work stoppage next Wednesday in protest at what it describes as "appalling conditions for patients and the clinical safety risks".

Spokeswoman for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), Noreen Muldoon, said staff feel they have no choice but to highlight what they firmly believe is a dangerous health and safety issue.

The exact nature of the industrial action will be finalised a meeting with management early next week.

Nurses in Galway feel their only option is to ballot for industrial action.

On the first Thursday in September, the number of patients on trolleys in the emergency department at UHG hit 48, the highest number for many years.

For the last few months the numbers have been regularly in the 30s.

Following discussions at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) and with management, there have been no noticeable improvements.

“They are putting patients on trolleys up in the wards which we believe is an attempt to hide the situation and is against all of our principles,” explained Ms Muldoon.

“At the same time 25 beds are closed at UHG and 90 are closed in Merlin Park and there is a huge shortage of nurses and midwives and support staff. People are really put to the pin of their collar.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.