Navan nurses in warning to HSE on 39-hour week

A warning that nurses in the north-east could resort to industrial action if their row over the 37.5-hour working week is not resolved was issued last week as nurses protested outside Our Lady"s Hospital in Navan on Friday. Up to 50 nurses gave up their lunch breaks to protest outside the hospital at a longer worker week than that of nurses elsewhere in the country. The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) were also protesting at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk. The nurses said they were furious that a national agreement to reduce their working week to 37.5 hours has not yet been implemented at acute hospitals in Meath and Louth. Spokesman Joe Hoolan said that the lunchtime protest, which took place in the nurses" own time, was a first step in what could rapidly deteriorate into indistrial action. Mr Hoolan said the Government"s commitment to reduce the working week of nurses from 39 hours to 37.5 hours by 1st June last had been honoured at most hospitals nationwide, except those in the north-east. 'The north-east is undoubtedly the most problematic area. It seems management in the north-east don"t seem to think it applies to them,' he said. Mr Hoolan said progress had been made regarding a number of facilities such as St Joseph"s Hospital in Trim, but there was still a problem at the acute hospitals. He said the failure of management to implement the agreed hours was angering and frustrating nurses in Navan. A spokesperson for the HSE said management in the Louth/Meath Hospital Group were committed to introducing the 37.5 hour working week roster. 'Following the nursing dispute in April/May 2007, the National Implementation Body (NIB) brokered agreement providing for the introduction of a 37.5 hour week for nurses and midwives with effect from 1st June 2008, where this could be achieved through local negotiations on a cost neutral basis without diminution in service.' He said that, to date, a significant amount of work has been done on implementing the 37.5 hour working week for nurses and midwives in the Louth Meath Hospital Group. 'This includes the development of new rosters for staff in all specialties which will generate greater efficiencies in work patterns, minimise the overlap of shifts, takes cognisance of staff paid and unpaid rest breaks and, in addition, is compliant with the European Working Time Directive. This new roster offers significant benefits to patient safety and staff working conditions.' The spokesperson added that management in the Louth Meath Hospital Group had been in discussion with representatives from the minister"s office, with HSE senior human resource personnel and industrial relations personnel nationally. 'Proposals which were submitted nationally to implement the 37.5 hour working week have not been approved. The LRC visited the area on the 1st September, meeting with both management and INO representatives. Management in the Louth Meath Hospital Group are committed to introducing the 37.5 hour working week roster in the shortest timeframe possible,' he concluded.