Health workers represented by the trade unions Fórsa and Unite, as well as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), have voted decisively in favour of industrial action in response to staff shortages in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The unions argue that recruitment restrictions and the suppression of posts in the HSE are creating unsustainable pressure on healthcare services and jeopardising patient safety.
The INMO announced that 95.6 per cent of its members supported industrial action in a recent ballot. General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha stated that the executive council will meet to discuss the outcome and coordinate a united approach with other health sector unions.
Fórsa members also strongly supported action, with 93.6 per cent voting in favor on a turnout of 60.8 per cent. Fórsa’s divisional executive is set to meet next week to determine their next steps.
Unions have been organising lunchtime protests since last month to highlight the staffing crisis and call for immediate action from the HSE.
The HSE has responded to the unions’ decision with disappointment, calling the planned industrial action “regrettable.” It highlighted recent increases in funding and staff numbers as evidence of efforts to address challenges in the health service. However, the unions maintain that these measures are insufficient to meet growing demands.