Conciliation talks between the Irish Nurses Organisation and the South Eastern Health Board have broken down without agreement. The talks were held under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission.
The dispute centres on a claim by 85 theatre nurses at Waterford Regional Hospital for an increase on the national rates for on-call and associated rates for providing an on-call service. The SEHB says that it cannot negotiate on national on-call rates. The talks have been adjourned for further deliberations.
On Monday, Irish Nurses Organisation members in theatres in Waterford Regional Hospital initiated a work-to-rule on this issue and are refusing to carry out non-nursing duties such as answering phones.
A spokesperson said that the Health Board regrets that the INO has refused to lift the work-to-rule pending negotiations.
