Hospital staff expected to back strike action

NINE THOUSAND hospital workers in Dublin are expected to back strike action this week over a Health Service Executive plan to cut costs by €500m.
Under the HSE plan, which was announced before Christmas, existing staff would be redeployed to vacancies instead of taking on new staff and limits would be placed on agency workers, the working day would be extended, travel expenses reduced and the maximum number of uncertified sick leave days would be set at two per year.
SIPTU has said that the strikes will only happen if the HSE implements the cutbacks.

Ferris wants action on job losses

MARTIN FERRIS, Sinn Féin TD, has called for “immediate action by Government” to address the loss of 200 jobs in Kostal in Abbeyfeale and 100 at its plant in Mallow.
Deputy Ferris said the job losses were a further blow to the region which has suffered huge job cuts over the past year.
“This announcement underlines the serious nature of the crisis and the urgent need for the Government to take immediate measures, similar to those it has in relation to the banking sector, in order to redress the situation.”

Sinn Féin lashes IBEC’s ‘scrap pensions’

EMPLOYERS’ BODY IBEC’s call to scrap defined pension schemes for public sector workers has been lashed by Sinn Féin Workers’ Rights spokesperson Arthur Morgan TD.
Morgan said:
“Pension schemes are an integral part of the pay and benefits package and the elimination of defined benefit schemes for gardaí, nurses, and other public sector workers would be a retrograde measure.
“It was the Government and the fat cats in the financial and property sector that created the economic crisis – not public sector workers.
“It is simply wrong to to force low-earning and middle-income workers in the public sector pay for the failure of successive Fianna Fáil-led governments. The Government should look towards those who can afford to pay more to meet their public spending targets.”