A YELLOW rain warning didn’t stop the nurses and midwives of Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) as they held a lunchtime strike this afternoon.
Nursing and midwifery staff of Donegal’s largest hospital braved the miserable weather to demonstrate their concerns and give a warning shot of further disruptions yet to come.
The display by members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) took place from 12.30pm to 1.30pm outside LUH and is only a snippet of a wider public sector strike.
Hospital staff taking part did not want to comment, however, INMO industrial relations officer Noel Traynor, who was present, told the Donegal News that nurses and midwives across Donegal and the rest of the country are suffering.
A full public sector strike day is planned for next Wednesday, but Noel hopes that the Government will engage before that.
He said: “We’re hoping the Government will see sense prior to that and seek to make appropriate engagements with us.
“There will be an escalation.
“We’ll escalate the work-to-rule that’s currently going on and we’ll have a further strike day the week afterwards”.
Hospital staff supporting the Nurse and Midwives demonstration at Letterkenny University Hospital. Photo Brian McDaid.
Noel continued: “I think the message is clear.
“It’s really about the Government recognising the contribution of public services workers, particularly nurses and midwives.”
There are currently over 2,000 staff employed in LUH and Noel said he believes TD’s should listen to what they have to say.
He said: “I would caution TD’s to listen to what we have to say because if they don’t treat us right now, when it comes to a ballot box our members might have a different view.”
He also said that the INMO are fully aware that their Donegal members are not only struggling to support their family through a cost-of-living crisis, but many are deeply affected by defective concrete.
He said: “We’re fully aware of members living in defective concrete homes.
“INMO fully support 100% redress, there’s no question about that, because many of our members have been deeply affected by those particular issues.”
A nationwide 24-hour strike will take place next Wednesday and Wednesday, October 7, and will include healthcare workers, teachers, civil servants and local authority workers.