Members of the Fórsa trade union working in the public health sector are to begin industrial action later this month over delays in agreeing a new public sector pay deal.
The union has issued formal notice of industrial action to employers in the health sector, including the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations.
Industrial action will begin on Wednesday 30 September and will initially take the form of a work-to-rule.
Staff will refuse to do overtime, cover duties attached to vacant posts, and cooperate with proposals to extend working patterns across a seven-day roster.
Last week, members of Fórsa in the public sector voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action.
So too have several other public sector unions over what they describe as the Government’s failure to make a meaningful offer on public sector pay.
The previous public sector pay deal expired on 30 June, and formal talks have yet to begin on a successor agreement.
Fórsa said today’s notice in the health sector is the first in a series expected to issue to public service employers in advance of nationwide industrial action.
Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division represents 32,000 members working in public health services.
“Our members provide vital public services every day,” said Fórsa’s Head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly.
“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,” Ms Connolly said.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has previously said that any form of industrial action in the public sector is completely unnecessary.
He said officials in the Department of Public Expenditure are willing and open for substantive engagement with public sector unions.