Nurses are to escalate their campaign of industrial action after talks on pay and working hours broke down this evening.
The talks, taking place under the auspices of the Government's National Implementation Body (NIB) in Government Buildings, ended just after 8pm with each side accusing the other of walking away.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) accused the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) of walking away from the talks and of rejecting a "viable and workable solution to end the industrial action".
Brendan Mulligan of the HSE
The INO and PNA said the talks' failure represented an "abject failure on the part of HSE management". The unions's executives will now meet tomorrow to finalise plans to escalte their campaign of industrial action, including work stoppages.
The unions' 45,000 members are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour working week. At present nurses work 39 hours a week.
At today's talks the HSE proposed an a one-hour reduction in the working week by March 2008 and a major feasibility study to examine the scope for further reductions in hours.
Brendan Mulligan, of the HSE Employers Agency said: "We had a workable viable solution here today and the unions rejected it. I see absolutely no logic in their position.
"The HSE has shown good faith in offering to work with the unions directly to establish how any reduction in hours would be achieved. The HSE remains fully committed to achieving a reduction in the working week for nurses and midwives.
"It has to be appreciated however, that with more than 40,000 nurses, any reduction, without appropriate planning, scheduling, safeguards and work practice changes, could have serious implications for patient safety and the funding of other services."
He said it would mean an estimated 4,000 new nurses would have to be recruited at an estimated cost of €220m per annum. "This is money that would otherwise be invested in more and better services for patients", he added.
But the INO/PNA joint statement said they had indicated a willingness to negotiate and make progress on their claims and in return had indicated a willingness to greatly expand the role of nurses and midwives in all areas of the Irish public health service.
In a reform package revealed by the unions before today's talks they suggested commitments to reducing waiting times in A&E wards, speeding up consultant referrals and improving response times. The plans also included changes to admissions and discharge and the introduction of cost cutting measures.
The unions executives are to hold a joint meeting tomorrow at 1.30pm to discuss their response to the breakdown in today's negotiations and to agree the timetable for the renewed escalation to their campaign of action.
In a lengthy statement issued after today's talks the NIB said it had nvisaged that a resolution might be found through a two-phase approach in which a specific reduction in working hours in 2008 would be followed by a second phase in which the Labour Court would have a key role.
"The length of the engagement of the NIB with the parties, over two prolonged periods, reflects the complexity of the issues in dispute, as well as the enormity of its implications. In adjourning the talks at this point, the NIB urges the parties to reflect on the gravity of the situation and the public interest."
The State's larges union Siptu said it would continue to be available for any future discussions on pay and conditions for nurses.
"From the outset Siptu has been convinced that the benchmarking process represented the best forum to advance our claims for a reduced working week and the removal of pay anomalies in a manner that recognises the professionalism of Irish nurses," the union's vice president Brendan Hayes said in a statement.
"Siptu will continue to progress these claims with the Benchmarking Body and will review the matter further when that body's report is published.
"In the meantime SIPTU members are due a two per cent increase under the second phase of Towards 2016, with effect from June 1st, 2007. Siptu will be contacting the HSE with a view to ensuring that the monies due are paid to all its members on time and with effect from the due date."
