Cork Healthcare Workers Face Strikes Over Pay Dispute with Union

Cork: Strikes could be on the horizon for healthcare workers in Cork if their pay issues aren’t sorted out soon. The union, SIPTU, is gearing up to ballot around 5,000 members about possible industrial action. They’re really frustrated with the government for not sticking to a pay agreement for Section 39 workers.

These workers are employed in private organizations like nursing homes and medical centers that provide services for the state. With the flu season in full swing, hospitals are urging folks to use non-emergency services to keep A&Es from getting overwhelmed. But if strikes happen, it could hit Cork and Kerry Southdoc services hard, which many rely on for non-urgent care.

Right now, hospitals across Ireland are dealing with a surge in patients due to flu and other respiratory illnesses. To help manage the situation, mask mandates and visiting restrictions are still in place. In Cork, Section 39 workers are found in various facilities, including Co-Action Cork and Cobh Community Hospital.

SIPTU’s Sector Organiser, Damian Ginley, pointed out that Section 39 workers were a hot topic during the last General Election. Politicians from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were quick to promise support, but now their words seem empty. The new government hasn’t made a solid commitment to fix the pay issues these workers face, and patience is wearing thin.

Ginley emphasized that the government has failed to act on this long-standing problem, leaving workers feeling they have no choice but to consider striking. If things don’t change quickly, a strike could be just around the corner.