The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) will commence industrial action tomorrow, Wednesday 26th March, in response to the continued failure of the HSE to exempt mental health services from proposed cuts in nursing numbers and unacceptable restrictions on recruitment.
The industrial action throughout the mental health services will take the form of a ‘work to rule’ with nurses only performing duties that are part of the core nursing role.
PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes said the union has been left with no option but to embark on industrial action in the interests of maintaining services and the development of mental health services into the future.
“As a result of the Pay and Numbers Strategy, staffing in mental health services has been reduced to unsustainable levels and service delivery and development has been impacted across the services. We have reached an impasse with the HSE and while we will continue to engage under the auspices of the WRC we are insisting that these are meaningful talks with a view to resolving the issues of staffing in mental health services and the streamlining of nurse recruitment into the services.”
“Without resolution of this dispute the Pay and Numbers Strategy will decimate mental health services resulting in closure and curtailment of services now and into the future.”
Media Contact : Derek Cunningham 086-2430535
