Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would like to be associated with the remarks of sympathy expressed to the Cathaoirleach by most, if not all, Members on the loss of his sister. I also express my sympathy to Senator Coghlan on the loss of his mother.

I organised a briefing today that was referenced by Senators Conway-Walsh and Ó Ríordáin.I thank them for attending the briefing with representatives of the SIPTU health division who explained to Deputies, Senators and staff in these Houses why 10,000 members of the SIPTU health division have decided to take industrial action commencing this Thursday. It is important that Members of this House understand why that difficult decision was taken. It is not a decision that was taken lightly. A number of years ago the Government decided, in consultation with the trade union involved, to undertake a job evaluation process. This involved an investigation into and examination of pay rates, skill sets and how the roles of health care assistants, porters, surgical instrument technicians and so on have evolved over the years. That independent job evaluation process made a number of very interesting findings, including the fact that the jobs in question have evolved to the point where the skill sets, requirements and responsibilities involved are enormous and, critically, that the workers, who number 10,000, are significantly underpaid in many cases. Unfortunately, this Government has decided not to fulfil its part of the bargain. It has accepted the outcome of the process but has, in essence, shelved the reports produced and refused to pay the moneys owed to our health care assistants, porters, hospital chefs and other important health service support staff grades on which the health service depends.

The first person one meets when one goes into a hospital is the porter. Those of us who have stayed in hospital know that the health service is very much dependent on the work of health care assistants to support nursing and medical staff. They do very important jobs, but unfortunately this Government does not seem to recognise that. There is an upstairs, downstairs attitude, as described by my colleague, Mr. Paul Bell of SIPTU, earlier today. This Government certainly seems to value the work that is done by doctors and nurses, as does everybody, but if the attitude of the Government to this dispute is anything to go by, it does not place any value whatsoever on the work done by health care assistants and others. We are talking here about critical cogs in the wheel, people who make sure that the system works effectively and efficiently. I am sick and tired of being told by Fine Gael Ministers, Deputies and Senators that this and matters like it are for the Labour Court to resolve because this is actually a political issue. There is no discussion to be had in the Labour Court because the evidence is based on the job evaluation reports. The Government has accepted the job evaluation reports and it is now a political decision as to whether the Minister for Finance will pay the moneys to the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure that these people get the recognition and respect due to them and the moneys that are owed. This is a political decision and I am calling on Members of this House to support the SIPTU workers who will be on strike this Thursday, the first of five planned days of industrial action. I hope it does not get to the stage where we have other days of industrial action but that is a matter for the Government to address now.