SIPTU radiographers from both city hospitals, University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital, have returned a large majority vote for industrial action up to, and including, strike action, in the ongoing dispute over ‘safe staffing levels’.
In a statement released by SIPTU, the largest trade union in the island of Ireland, the organisation says that the vote for action is the result of long highlighted issued with staffing.
“The result follows months of frustration over recruitment and retention issues at the two hospital sites which have left SIPTU members facing a significant extra workload amid a 20 percent staffing deficit.”
With radiographers performing services that are a vital aspect of patient care, including x-rays, CT scans, ultra-sounds and MRIs, the collective decision for industrial action has not been made lightly.
Previous proposals put forward by SIPTU representatives to tackle the staffing deficit have, according to the trade union, been ‘rejected by management in recent weeks’, one of these proposals was for an additional out-of-hours service. The statement issued by SIPTU explains that, “Management’s reluctance to consider additional out-of-hours services in particular is at odds with the stated positions of the Minister of Health and HSE CEO.
The HSE have said that the acknowledged shortage of radiographers is contributing to the increased workload and that they are committed to engaging with the industrial relations process to address the concerns.
They added that they are maximising their recruitment efforts to attract radiographers from both in Ireland and overseas.
