Clare nurses say they will ensure any impact to patient safety is minimised during their ongoing industrial action.
Nurses, doctors, ambulance staff, teachers, SNAs, public and civil servants across the county are among the 300,000 taking to the picket lines today in search of an improved public sector pay deal.
Public sector unions are criticising the Government for failing to strike a new pay deal following the expiration of the last one in June.
The main demands include a retrospective pay agreement the cover the six month period until December that will outstrip inflation and an agreement for next year to protect them against the cost of living.
Clinical Nurse Managers Clare Lenane and Ellen Downes were among those on the picket lines at Ennis Hospital this morning, they say while the impact to patient safety will be minimised, they’re prepared to stay going.
Unions rejected an offer of talks at the Workplace Relations Commission this week , while Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has said there was no reason for the strikes to go ahead.
Ennis Ambulance Shop Steward Finola Croke says the Government is failing to address the cost of living.
Annette from Ennis Court House says they’re pay scale is not keeping pace with inflation.
A further day of strike action is planned for Wednesday October 21st if an agreement isn’t reached.
Richard Egan from the Department of Education’s Physchological Services on Francis Street says the notion workers want to strike couldn’t be further from the truth.
Principal of Ennis CBS Darragh Glynn says he particularly wants to see improvements for young staff and SNAs.
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