Date: Thursday 23rd April 2009
IMPACT trade union today (Tuesday) instructed its members not to co-operate with a new HSE circular, which the union says would devastate services to the sick by axing up to 14,000 vital temporary and locum posts while imposing more pay cuts on many health workers, on top of the 7.5% public service levy and this month's budget measures.
The circular, which the HSE is threatening to issue next week, would ban all but the most 'exceptional' recruitment in every category of health service staff. It would also mean the non-renewal of up to 14,000 existing temporary posts, most of them currently filled by core front line and support staff on long-term rolling temporary contracts. And it says managers will be disciplined for hiring locum staff to deal with emergency situations if such decisions are subsequently deemed to contravene the harsh restrictions set out in the circular.
IMPACT says the HSE circular's instruction to stop allowances for staff who currently undertake extra duties and responsibilities - a cheaper alternative to more expensive promotions - will mean that many vital functions will no longer be carried out. The union says the new HSE policy would effectively mean further pay cuts for hundreds of health staff who perform extra duties. This would be on top of the public service levy, which takes an average of 7.5% of gross pay from all public servants, and the measures introduced in the 7th April budget.
The circular also threatens to impose relocation on staff – potentially miles from existing homes and jobs - in order to fill the gaps created by the recruitment ban and thousands of temporary staff job losses.
The union says the HSE circular is a breach of national agreements and legal provisions governing information and consultation. The union says it will refer the matter to the Labour Relations Commission, which is already dealing with the fallout of an earlier Labour Court ruling that the HSE was in breach of the same legislation for imposing changes without consultation.
IMPACT national secretary Kevin Callinan said the union and its members recognised that the crisis in public finances meant savings had to be made. But he said workers, who were reeling from the unfair public service levy plus the recent Budget measures, could not be expect to take further threats to jobs and services, as well as more cuts in their incomes, without making a stand.
“If implemented, this policy would see drastic cuts in services and intolerable conditions for staff. The HSE will discover that staff will not co-operate with its attempts to impose unilateral cuts to jobs, services and incomes. Health workers in all grades and occupations put services and patients first and recognise the economic realities we are living with. But they did not cause the recession or the crisis in public finances and they won’t accept any more macho attacks from the HSE,” he said.
Mr Callinan today issued a circular to IMPACT members telling them:
Not to undertake tasks, functions or responsibilities associated with vacant posts or where a post holder has been let go and not replaced.
Not to undertake the duties of a higher grade post unless receipt of an acting allowance is confirmed.
Not to engage in the reallocation or reorganisation of duties unless by agreement with the union.
Not to agree to redeployment or reassignment unless by agreement with the union.
Mr Callinan said the union would support any IMPACT member who breached an HSE directive “in order to act in the interest of the patient, client or service user.”
Earlier this month IMPACT issued a similar instruction to its branches after the Department of Finance issued new circulars to every Government department, instructing them to impose embargoes on recruitment, promotions and acting-up payments.
