Nurses win shorter working week

A YEAR after industrial action by nurses, they have won a concession from their employers to work a 37.5 hour week.
The industrial action was originally aimed at securing a 35-hour week and a pay rise. The outworkings of the agreement may become problematic in the future for nurses as each hospital will have to make its own individual arrangements and it is estimated that it will not immediately apply to 12,000 nurses in the 26 Counties.
The Irish Nurses’ Organisation has said that most of the major hospitals in Dublin have signed the agreements and that it was “historic”.
Nursing unions are due to meet the National Implementation Body (who will oversee the implementation of the agreement) later this week to iron out any outstanding issues.

Government opposes union recognition

IN THE week that Sinn Féin introduced a Trade Union Recognition Bill in the Dáil, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has opposed mandatory recognition of trade unions.
The Government has presented a paper at pay talks with the unions saying it believes it would be completely unacceptable to employers and that it would affect the perception of social partnership agreements to find pragmatic solutions.