Fianna Fáil TD for Wexford James Browne has called on the Minister for Health and Minister for Finance to work together and liaise with SIPTU representatives to try avoid the upcoming 24-hour strike planned by health support staff this Thursday.
Deputy Browne was commenting as 10,000 health support staff plan to go on strike across the country, including Wexford General Hospital, in protest of the government’s failure to carry out a job evaluation scheme.
“This week, health care assistants, maternity care assistants, laboratory aides, and surgical instrument technicians as well as chefs, porters and household and catering employees, will go on strike.
“The action centres on the failure of government to uphold its side of the Public Service Stability Agreement. It entered into a job evaluation scheme for these workers to ascertain where and how job roles had changed and if remuneration should be increased to match any changes. SIPTU says its members are due pay rises under the terms of this agreement.
“In the absence of any movement on the issue, these essential health support staff feel there is no other option available to them and there is a very real risk of chaos in our hospitals this week. Health support staff are vital for the smoothing running of our hospitals and keep the wheels turning. The government must stop taking them for granted”, Deputy Browne concluded.