Jack Leahy
Deputy News Editor
An Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) protest march scheduled for Wednesday November 9th has been cancelled awaiting consideration after Minister for Health Dr. James Reilly decided to reduce the level of cuts imposed upon undergraduate nurses’ pay.
INMO General Secretary Liam Doran contacted all members of the organisation by email to inform them that in this academic year, nursing students working professional placement hours in their final year will receive 60% of the salary of a staff nurse. In the 2012-2013 academic year, that figure will be reduced to 50%, and that level will remain until the Department next choose to review the pay scale. The Fianna Fáil/Greens government had previously decided to reduce the rate to 45% from 2013 before gradually phasing out payment entirely.
Having planned to march to the Department of Health on Wednesday November 9th, INMO members and class reps will now convene in Dublin on the same day to consider the organisation’s response to the government’s decision after the INMO executive committee meet on the preceding days. Information meetings will take place on a local basis in the following week, at which members will be balloted on the proposals.
In his email to nursing and midwifery students up and down the country, Mr. Doran informed members that the proposals were subject to a previously proposed review of the undergraduate nursing degree in Ireland. He also said that the Labour Court would be considering his organisation’s claim that the Department of Health and the HSE ‘ breached their obligations under the Information and Consultation Directive in the manner in which they introduced [the] pay reduction’ at a formal hearing on Tuesday, November 1st.
He also attached an email sent to him by Michael Scanlan, Secretary General of the Department of Health, outlining the changes made to the pay structure, all of which come into effect at the expiration of the arrangements made for 2011. Therein, Mr. Scanlan espoused the Department’s belief that the changes were ‘very favourable to the nursing profession’ given the ‘considerable difficulty’ posed by the current economic climate.
Speaking to The University Times, a high-ranking representative of INMO said that the proposal still ‘undervalues nursing as a profession’ but that the progress made on the matter was encouraging.
‘I love the work and thats why I chose nursing but a move like this devalues nursing as a profession’ said the second year, ‘we get paid next to nothing for work that is very demanding, both physically and emotionally’.
‘At least we have some improvements and movements on the pay cuts. All INMO members will have a national meeting in Dublin on the 8th of November to discuss the proposal and it will be voted on whether we should accept this proposal or continue with the campaign.’
