Fórsa trade union’s clerical and administrative members in the HSE will take part in a series of lunchtime protests, at various HSE sites nationwide, today Wednesday 6th and tomorrow Thursday 7th December as part of the union’s ongoing campaign of industrial action, in response to the HSE’s recruitment freeze.
Fórsa’s sustained action of non-cooperation commenced on 6th of October and escalated on 27th October, following the HSE’s imposition of a freeze on recruitment in clerical and administrative grades.
In recent weeks the national health body has halted all recruitment as health services enter the challenging mid-winter period.
Clerical and administrative staff at Wexford General Hospital will be taking part in the action today between 12.45pm and 1.45pm.
Media Relations director at Fórsa, an Irish trade union for public service staff, Niall Shanahan outlined the action when speaking to South East Radio News:
“Despite extensive engagement by Fórsa in the WRC, the HSE remains unwilling to acknowledge that vacant posts need to be filled. So the lunchtime protest at Wexford General today is essentially the next stage in our campaign of industrial action. Its providing an opportunity for health workers to voice their opposition to the continuing recruitment freeze but at the same time limiting the effect on service delivery and on service users.”
Heading into the mid-winter period, vital posts remain unfilled which means that pressure will build up within the health service including Wexford.
Fórsa are calling for the HSE to fill the vital positions now.
