Labour Court talks to resume in bid to avert strikes by health support staff

A Labour Court process aimed at resolving a dispute involving up to 10,000 health support staff working in hospitals throughout the State will resume on Monday, July 22nd.

Talks at the Labour Court ended earlier this week without any resolution.

The trade union Siptu said that its representatives had accepted an invitation to attend a hearing at the Labour Court on Monday July 22nd, to discuss the dispute involving 10,000 health service workers over the implementation of a job-evaluation scheme.

Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said; "We have accepted the invitation from the Labour Court to attend further discussions in order to resolve the dispute involving our members over the implementation of the job-evaluation scheme. Further strike action remains deferred, pending the outcome of these talks, which are due to commence on Monday 22nd July."

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Mr Bell had earlier this week advised members in health service support grades “to continue to prepare for strike action, possibly the week after next”.

Health service support grades including healthcare assistants, laboratory aides, technicians and porters staged a one-day strike last month in a dispute over pay.

Siptu said the Government had failed to pay increases recommended by a job-evaluation scheme which examined whether any of the roles of the staff had changed and expanded in recent years.

The union maintained that the staff concerned could be due increases of up to €3,000.

Scheduled appointments, operations and procedures were cancelled for more than 2,000 patients, as a result of the stoppage last month.

The health service support staff had suspended plans for a further three days of work stoppages to allow for talks.