Nurses and midwives staged protests at five hospitals over the exclusion of Clinical Placement Coordinators from a recent pay deal.
Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) members held protests at Beaumont, Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, University Hospital Waterford, Sligo University Hospital and Portiuncula University Hospital.
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said Nurse and Midwife Clinical Placement Coordinators support "essential clinical placements for undergraduate student nurses and midwives, playing a critical role within the health service."
Since the roles inception Clinical Placement Coordinators have been graded and compensated according to the Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager pay scale.
The Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery recommended additional increments on the Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager 2 pay scale this year.
INMO asserts that the Department of Health is obstructing the recommended pay increases for Clinical Placement Coordinators.
The INMO says the Department of Health has declined an invitation to attend the Labour Court to resolve this issue.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Neal Donohue said they are afraid the lack of action "will potentially disincentivize the role if it is not resolved."
"There is a simple solution. We want the employer to attend the Labour Court. They have declined to attend. It must be remedied sooner rather than later."
Clinical placement co-ordinator and INMO member Louise McLoughlin who has worked as a nurse over ten years says it is hugely frustrating that they must campaign for parity.
"We have to fight for everything; staff and pay. We are the backbone of the health service. We help people in their most vulnerable times.
"If those students see their senior management not being respected, what hope do they have for themselves?" she added.
Clinical placement co-ordinator and INMO member Julie Moroney says they want fairness with colleagues as they are "the only group on the increment that have been excluded."
"It is very frustrating. We support the nurses and the midwives of the future. It is very unfortunate and we are sorry it has come to this," she said.
