Sligo nurses vote to suspend strike action

Nurses at a hospital in Sligo have voted to suspend their strike action, averting a 24-hour work stoppage tomorrow.

The action at St John's Hospital was threatened by members of the Irish Nurses' Organisation because of low staffing levels. The INO represents about 100 of the 125 nurses at the hospital.

INO industrial relations officer Mr Noel Treanor said this evening the nurses voted to suspend their action following talks this morning with North Western Health Board representatives. The talks broke up following a "change in the management position," he said.

There will now be a review period to take stock of the situation before negotiations recommence, he said.

Mr Treanor claimed management at the hospital had reneged on an agreement on staff rosters that was worked out following an independent review last year. He said the wards were operating with staff levels at three nurses below the safety levels agreed.

"Nurses tried to pursue this issue through negotiation and, more recently, through work-to-rule," he said.