George Lawlor warns of chaos as 270 Cairdoc workers strike
George Lawlor warned that around 270 workers at Cairdoc, the GP out-of-hour service in Wexford-Linadi, have gone on strike and urged swift mediation to avert disruption. He said the workers are seeking implementation of a 2023 Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement - an 8% increase - and called on all parties to show common sense.
The INMO and SIPTU have said they are seeking implementation of a 2023 Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement for Section 39 organisations. They are asking specifically for an 8% increase on behalf of members working in Cairdoc.
Lawlor warned this is the first of a number of planned strikes that will have a significant impact on GP out-of-hour services. He referenced that 14 ambulances were stacked at Wexford Hospital last week and said the strike action will only add to that chaotic situation in Wexford.
The Taoiseach acknowledged the regional effect and said further mediation was scheduled to take place this morning, possibly already underway. He confirmed that both Cairdoc and the HSE have confirmed their attendance and urged everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel to find a resolution.
Lawlor called on all parties - the government side, the HSE and the unions - to show common sense and to work hard in the hours ahead through mediation to try to resolve the dispute and avert further chaos.
Strike and pay demand
The INMO and SIPTU have said they are seeking implementation of a 2023 Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement for Section 39 organisations. They are asking specifically for an 8% increase on behalf of members working in Cairdoc.
Local healthcare impact
Lawlor warned this is the first of a number of planned strikes that will have a significant impact on GP out-of-hour services. He referenced that 14 ambulances were stacked at Wexford Hospital last week and said the strike action will only add to that chaotic situation in Wexford.
Mediation and attendance
The Taoiseach acknowledged the regional effect and said further mediation was scheduled to take place this morning, possibly already underway. He confirmed that both Cairdoc and the HSE have confirmed their attendance and urged everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel to find a resolution.
Appeal for a resolution
Lawlor called on all parties - the government side, the HSE and the unions - to show common sense and to work hard in the hours ahead through mediation to try to resolve the dispute and avert further chaos.
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Transcript
Today, around 270 workers at Cairdoc, the GP out-of-hour service in Wexford-Linadi, I think covers part of your own constituency or county, are gone on strike. The INMO and SIPTU have said that they are seeking implementation of a 2023 Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement that was agreed for Section 39 organisations, specifically an 8% increase due to their members working in Cairdoc. This is the first of a number of planned strikes that will have a significant impact on GP out-of-hour services. And if we remember last week, 14 ambulances were stacked up at Wexford Hospital. It was chaotic. I think this will only add to that. Can I ask if we can have any intervention? I appreciate there's industrial relations mechanisms, but these workers are asking for something that was agreed by Labour Relations in 2023, an 8% increase. Can I ask that we would do our utmost to ensure that these series of strikes, which will have a chaotic impact in the light of my own county of Wexford, would be adverted as best we can? No, thanks for raising this, W. Lawler. And as you say, this is an issue I know that affects your constituency, my own Minister Butler's, and a lot of the South East. So this is an issue that I think everybody wants to see resolved. My understanding, and I know it's an evolving situation, but my understanding is that further mediation is scheduled to take place today. It's possibly even on now. It's scheduled to take place this morning. I'm pleased to see that both Cairdoc and the HSE have confirmed their attendance. I think that's important. Everybody needs to put their shoulder to the wheel to find a resolution here as well. And everybody, including the government side, the HSE side, needs to show a bit of common sense here and trying to find a way forward. So I'd urge every party to the dispute to work really hard in the hours ahead through mediation to try and resolve this.