Health service electricians have voted to provide emergency cover to hospitals in the south despite the continuing row with management over the changing of a light bulb which has seen 38 workers suspended.
The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, which represents electricians and craftworkers in the Health Service Executive, last night unanimously voted in favour of reporting to work at hospitals in south and providing cover.
TEEU general secretary Owen Wills said the outcome of last night's meeting in Dungaravan was "proof of the willingness of our members to provide a service to the public, despite the decision of the HSE to remove them from the payroll and ridicule the serious and long standing grievances that need to be resolved."
Mr Wills said: "Member will continue to report for work normally each day and will be available for deployment by their immediate supervisor. They will also provide on-call/call-out emergency cover as required after hours."
Surgery resumed in Kerry General Hospital following assurances from the electricians. Eleven elective procedures were postponed at the hospital over the last two days when medical staff feared for patient safety.
Meanwhile, fresh calls are being made for both parties to resolve the dispute which surrounds proposals by the health service to have orderlies and maintenance staff deal with small scale electrical tasks - including the changing of lightbulbs.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) South suspended 38 electricians - all members of the TEEU - when they announced they were refusing to answer pagers and would only accept verbal instructions from their direct supervisor.
They claim it was in response to harassment by management.
Acute hospitals across the south and south east of the country in Cos Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny are affected by the dispute.
The cancellation of life or death or emergency cover at Kerry General Hospital and Mallow General Hospital has since been restored.