News Story

Public health employers have been served with notice of planned industrial action at the end of the month.

Fórsa, Ireland’s largest public service trade union, said it continues to prepare other actions over a pay dispute with the Government.

Formal notice of industrial action commencing on September 30 was issued to employers in the health sector, including the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations, on Wednesday.

Fórsa has set out a range of “initial, targeted actions” including working-to-rule, refusing overtime, and refusing to co-operate with proposals to extend working patterns across a seven-day roster.

The union said that while the Industrial Relations Act requires one week’s notice of industrial action, it was following convention in the health services by providing three.

Fórsa said the additional notice period reflects the essential nature of health services and allows employers to make appropriate contingency arrangements.

It is the first in a series of notices expected to be issued to public service employers in advance of “nationwide industrial action”.

Fórsa represents members across health, local government, the civil service, education and State agencies, and said it expects employers in other sectors to be notified in the coming weeks.

The union’s head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said: “Our members provide vital public services every day.

“Serving notice today marks the beginning of a planned and proportionate escalation by public service workers who have made clear that the Government’s current position on pay is not sustainable.”