Face-to-face talks between health service employers and nursing unions aimed at trying to resolve the dispute over nurses' pay and conditions will begin this afternoon, writes Eithne Donnellan, Health Correspondent.
As a result, the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) have called off plans for one-hour work stoppages at over 50 hospitals and mental health centres which were due to take place tomorrow and Friday. However, the nurses will continue with their work-to-rule.
The decision to bring both sides back to negotiations was made last night by the National Implementation Body (NIB), which comprises senior Government, employer and union representatives, after it held separate exploratory talks with employers and the nursing unions.
Following those meetings, it issued an invitation to the INO, the PNA and the Health Service Executive (HSE) employers' agency to talks at 3pm this afternoon. Siptu, which also represents nurses, has also been invited.
These are the first talks to take place between employers and unions since 40,000 nurses in the INO and PNA began industrial action over three weeks ago. The nurses are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour working week.
The NIB, in a statement, said it had invited the sides to re-engage in discussions on "the views of the INO/PNA on how the pay issues can be dealt with in the context of public service pay policy, and the claim for a reduction in working hours to 35 hours per week, and the issues which arise from reducing nurses' hours".
Dave Hughes, INO deputy general secretary, said the talks would be a tough challenge. "But we believe we are more than capable of bringing creativity and imagination to the table in a way that can bring about a settlement that does not cause havoc for Government pay policy." Des Kavanagh, PNA general secretary, said the talks were a real opportunity .
Brendan Mulligan, assistant chief executive of the HSE employers' agency, said: "We have always indicated we are willing to discuss the issue of a reduced working week for nurses within the framework provided by the Labour Court and it must be progressed on a cost-neutral basis."