INMO members overwhelmingly vote for industrial action over absence of new public pay deal

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have voted for industrial action in protest over the lack of progress in agreeing a new national pay agreement. INMO is the latest large group of public sector workers to back industrial action over pay and conditions.The proposal to authorise industrial action, up to and including strikes, was backed by 99 per cent of those who participated in a nationwide ballot over the past six weeks.“Members on the ground, who are working in extremely challenging conditions due to overcrowding and understaffing, have made it clear that they are dissatisfied with the lack of urgency surrounding the cost-of-living pressures they are facing,” said INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha after the result was announced on Wednesday.“Nurses and midwives do not have the luxury of working from home to save on filling up the car. The very nature of shift work means that public transport is out of the question for many. Early career nurses and midwives are missing out on learning opportunities in teaching hospitals because astronomical rents are locking them out of living and working in our city centres.”READ MOREThe vote means a majority of all unionised public sector workers have backed industrial action, with Fórsa, Siptu and Unite among those that have declared ballot results over the past fortnight. The teaching unions, with about 80,000 members between them, are preparing to ballot on the same issue.Fórsa, the largest of the public sector unions, has served notice of industrial action in the health services. It said its members will not work overtime and will not cover the work of colleagues or other grades, in addition to other measures, from September 30th. The union has almost 90,000 public sector members across areas including health, education, local government and State agencies. Fórsa said it expected other employers would be served with notice of action over the coming weeks.[ Public sector faces widespread strikes if new pay deal not agreedOpens in new window ]Ashley Connolly, head of the union’s health and welfare division, which has about 32,000 members, said the decision to take action reflected frustration among staff over the absence of an offer on pay. “Serving notice today marks the beginning of a planned and proportionate escalation by public service workers who have made clear that the Government’s current position on pay is not sustainable,” she said on Wednesday.