Sir, - So Ms Carney, of Impact, reckons that under the proposed agreement, nurses will have a good maximum salary. Just what has Ms Carney and her career union official colleagues negotiated for their members?
(1) Approximately 50 per cent of staff nurses will not get any immediate increase. (2) Whereas a staff nurse can currently expect to reach his/her maximum after nine years, Ms Carney and her colleagues have succeeded in lengthening this period to IS years. (3) Staff nurses commencing after July 1st next will start at a lower salary than a staff nurse currently taking up duty.
Some weeks ago Senator Ross, not known for his benevolent attitude towards the public sector, suggested the nurses were being sold out by their union. Those same union officials were very quick to reject this charge. Now that the agreement has been rejected by the members we can see exactly how accurate and informed Senator Ross was.
Union negotiations often have more in common with those they are negotiating with than those they are negotiating for. In this case the union leadership negotiated a shabby deal and is now attempting to force it onto the membership as the best it can get.
Bad enough Ms Carney to negotiate a shabby deal, but shame on you to defend it as a good one.
Yours, etc.,
(Staff Nurse)
(Staff Nurse)
Glendara,
Kill,
Co Kildare.