NURSES at Letterkenny University Hospital have joined 40,000 colleagues nationwide in a day of strike action over pay and conditions.
Front-line medical staff staged a walk out at 8am this morning and will remain on strike for 24 hours.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is seeking pay parity with similar graduate-level health professional grades such as physiotherapists it says are receiving 7,000 Euro more than nurses.
So far the government has resisted the calls for increased pay, claiming that it would impact significantly on its budget at a time of grave uncertainty due to Brexit.
But speaking from the Letterkenny picket line this morning, INMO Industrial Relations Officer Maura Hickey warned that without a change in tack by the government, further strike action for next week will go ahead.
“The government and the minister need to come to the table with meaningful proposals to address our claim. We remain available to negotiate, we know what is required and they need to come with open minds rather than no, no, no,” Ms Hickey said.
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