Sir, - The provision of any cover during the planned nurses' strike is in my opinion a major error by the nursing unions. It will only weakens the position of the nurses by lengthening the strike indefinitely.
Gerard Barry, Cowen's proxy, is quoted as saying (The Irish Times, October 1st) on behalf of the employers: "the public have a right to know what level of service to expect." I would suggest that there is a simpler answer: no service. After all, this is a strike forced on the nurses. The public should be getting an answer to the real question: why has the Government pushed the nurses this far? Or why, for example, are unqualified clerical/administrative staff paid more for a working week that is four hours shorter?
This strike will not be won by playing on public sympathy, which is generally based on the ridiculous perception of nursing as a "vocation". It will be won by old-fashioned industrial strength. The Government is willing to throw away a chance to win an additional Dail seat by letting the strike go ahead during the Dublin South Central by-election. Therefore there is no doubting its intention to fight and fight to win.
The Government is aware that many nurses have huge personal outgoings, mortgages, rent, car loans. They cannot afford to remain on strike for any length of time. Its strategy is based on limiting the damage while at the same time "starving them back to work".
We have had years of nationally negotiated wage/salary agreements, which have done little for ordinary workers. While employers have laughed all the way to their (non-resident) bank accounts, ordinary workers have difficulty affording decent housing. The leadership of the country's trade unions have, with few honourable exceptions, sat idly by, accepting that their role was to deliver their members' acquiescence. At last a group of workers is standing up to this particular golden circle. - Yours, etc.
Niall Mac Suibhne, Faiche Wadelai, Glas Naion, Baile Atha Cliath 11.