The Executive Council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), at its meeting earlier today, unanimously voted to support a significant escalation of the campaign, by public service unions, seeking a reversal of the recent pay cuts, the protection of pensions and the protection of employment.
The INMO Executive Council, in supporting this escalation, also agreed that phase 2 of the current campaign should:
- include the withdrawal of labour for short periods on a rolling basis;
- be uniformly applied across the entire public service; and
- should commence on an agreed date.
The INMO will now bring this proposal to the planned meeting of the Public Services Committee, of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, scheduled for next Monday, 8th March 2010, and will join with all other public service unions to finalise and agree the details of a significant escalation of the campaign.
Speaking this evening INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said:
“The INMO Executive Council, following feedback from all of our branches, is absolutely satisfied that our members, nationwide, remain fully prepared, with other public service trade union members, to escalate this campaign, in a significant manner, in support of our stated objectives.
It is our view this escalation must involve strike action including the withdrawal of labour and should be commenced as soon as possible.
My Executive Council is also of the view that this campaign must be escalated to secure a shift in approach, from this government, towards its employees, our members. The government must be persuaded that this campaign will continue, and be escalated still further, unless and until it comes back to the negotiating table accepting that the:
- reversal of the pay cuts;
- guarantee about future pay;
- protection of existing pension entitlements; and
- protection of job security including the removal of the threat of outsourcing;
must be fully addressed”.
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