The Government could find all nurses' grievances "back on the agenda" if it does not move quickly to deal with the pay elements of last week's report from the Nursing Commission, the leader of the State's largest nursing union has warned.
The outstanding issues are new grading structures for nurses, increased allowances for extra qualifications and long-service increments.
The general secretary of the Irish Nurses' Organisation, Mr Liam Doran, was speaking after a brief meeting of the Nursing Alliance in Dublin yesterday afternoon.
At the meeting, the four nursing unions, which represent nearly 30,000 members in the public health service, decided to request formally the assistance of the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission in processing outstanding pay claims.
The INO has already begun holding a series of mass meetings around the State to provide information to members on the present state of the dispute - and also to gauge support for a nationwide strike.
Other unions appear willing to give the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, a breathing space to respond before undertaking similar action.
But the national nursing officer of SIPTU, Mr Oliver McDonagh, also warned yesterday that his members' patience was running out. "Our members are demanding action and say they won't take anything less than is in the report of the Nursing Commission."
It was SIPTU which first proposed that the unions seek to process the pay elements of the Nursing Commission's report, after Mr Cowen said at its launch last Wednesday that these would have to be deferred. The Minister said he first wanted to discuss the implications for public sector pay policy with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Mr Doran said the Nursing Alliance reached a quick decision yesterday to refer the outstanding issues to the relevant bodies.
The Nursing Commission recommended that the Labour Court look at increased allowances for extra qualifications held by many nurses, and that the LRC revisit the question of long-service increments for staff nurses, as well as the pay implications of new grading structures proposed by the commission.
"It would be quite unprecedented if the Government side refused to turn up for such discussions," Mr Doran said. "To do anything else would be to repeat the stance of Ryanair, of which the Government was so critical earlier this year.
"This is not even about money, but the right to due process. There is a danger that if the Government refuse to abide by its own industrial relations procedures, all the unfinished business of the last dispute will be back on the agenda."
Mr McDonagh said the unions had no choice but to bring the Government to the LRC and Labour Court. "We couldn't allow these issues to go to the next national pay deal," he said. "They are part of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work.
"The Minister is in danger of opening a hornets' nest if he attempts to defer these issues. Our members have waited well over 12 months already to have them addressed. They are demanding action and won't take anything less than is in the recommendations and the feedback is that if it takes industrial action to get it, then so be it."