The general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says the campaign by public sector workers to reverse the pay cuts in the Budget must also make sure that the dismantling of the public health service is stopped.
Liam Doran said it must be reversed and must ensure that the sick and vulnerable are shown respect.
Speaking at a mass meeting of public servants from the health, education and local government sectors in Galway on Tuesday night he said the Government’s approach, through its recruitment embargo, bed closures and curtailment of services, is effectively rendering the health service incapable of meeting the needs of the public.
“We are seeing ever increasing levels of A&E overcrowding, longer waiting lists, the closure of over 2,000 beds by the end of the year, and the loss of a further 1,600 posts.”
He said the past 12 months have been the most difficult and trying period for public servants in the history of the State.
“The Government, in pursuing a policy that simply will not work, has chosen to attack its own hardworking employees instead of addressing those who caused the problems. namely the bankers, builders, speculators and the Government itself.
“The public service unions, in responding to this sustained and unwarranted attack, have mobilised in a unified show of nationwide solidarity. The campaign will be difficult but it will be sustained and it will be effective. All public service unions are now calling upon their members to unify, to support and to participate in pursuance of the restoration of their pay levels, the maintenance of pensions and their security of employment.
“ This government must see that it cannot attack its own employees with impunity and that it simply will not be able to transform the delivery of public services through bullying tactics. Instead, it must recognise, through its action and words, the true worth of all public servants and the essential nature of the work that they do. In other words this Government must replace contempt for its employees with respect and this campaign will continue until that objective is realised.”
