Health unions have accused the Health Service Executive of having a ‘cavalier’ attitude to planned industrial action next week in a dispute over staffing numbers.
More than 80,000 workers will commence a work-to-rule from next Monday, 31 March.
The HSE is to ask the Workplace Relations Commission to intervene in the dispute.
Health unions have said that recruitment restrictions and the suppression of posts in the HSE are putting services under enormous strain and are putting patient safety at risk.
They have warned that other phased industrial action, including work stoppages, will be considered should there be a requirement to escalate the dispute.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Fórsa, Connect, Unite, and the MLSA met the CEO of the HSE Bernard Gloster but expressed disappointment that the dispute is not being taken seriously by management.
“Despite asking trade unions to meet this morning in a bid to explore options for avoiding planned action, the Health Service Executive is demonstrating a lax approach to upcoming industrial action which is to begin next Monday,” a spokesperson for the unions said.
“Unions have given the employer over three weeks’ notice to plan around what will be mass disruption to the health service, yet no formal derogations have been sought by the employer or no real contingency planning has been done,” they added.
The HSE said that Mr Gloster has asked the HSE’s National Employee Relations Service to request the WRC to intervene in the dispute.
A spokesperson said that while Mr Gloster approached today’s talks in good faith, unfortunately no progress was made.
The HSE said that there will be further talks this afternoon with health unions in relation to the nature of the threatened dispute and that it will now await the intervention of the WRC.
“Any industrial action would be very regrettable, particularly in the context of possible negative impacts on the public,” Mr Gloster said.
The HSE has previously said that the planned industrial action is disappointing against the background of additional funding for the health service and increasing staff numbers.
It said that funding provided in 2024 and 2025 will allow the HSE to recruit an additional 6,528 staff in 2025 in addition to replacing departing staff.
The HSE has warned that any industrial action would be seriously disruptive to the provision of services and will lead to increased delays and longer waiting lists.
