Nurses in Ireland

[lithium]

Some of my friends are student nurses and are members of the INO. Although strike action has been taking place in some hospitals so far, my friends will be on the front line at their respective hospitals from tomorrow in their fight for fair working hours and fair pay.

Solidarity to the nursing unions of Ireland.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/sto...&issue_id=15485 (http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1808705&issue_id=15485)

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/...4/breaking8.htm (http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0404/breaking8.htm)

[guydebordisdead]

The nurses’ work-to-rule and their threat to escalate the action next week has been met with an outraged onslaught by Mary Harney and Bertie Ahern. The sight of a group of workers standing up and demanding their rights has become so unusual that it seems as if the government cannot believe the temerity of the nurses in doing just that.

Nurses – through the Irish Nurses Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association – have put forward two key demands
· A 10% pay increase to bring their pay back in line with other health workers
· The introduction of a 35-hour working week, again bringing their working hours in line with other health workers

http://www.wsm.ie/story/2206

[lithium]

The Socialists were out and about with the INO during the strikes. I'd love to see some more groups join in and show support, whether they're revolutionary groups or more unions. Plenty of patients and the public support the action, but I can see this dragging out and more and more people becoming pissed off, resulting in the undermining of the workers' struggle. If some bigger groups could voice their support I think that it would benefit not only the nurses but all workers.

[lithium]

Update: I read in today's (Saturday) Irish Independent that several other unions are voicing their support. These unions include SIPTU and TEEU (as well as others that I can't recall offhand), and represent around 35,000 workers. The unions have members also working in hospitals, such as cleaning staff, administration staff, porters, etc. Some (if not all of these unions) have also announced that they will fight for conditions similar to those that the nurses are fighting for, such as a 35 hour working week. Teachers unions have also voiced their support of the INO and PNA and are calling for better pay and conditions themselves. The same article said that in a recent poll, about three quarters of the Irish population support the nurses.

I think that this has the potential to get very big: Electricity Supply Board (ESB) workers' unions (such as the TEEU) are also voicing their concerns over the breakup of the ESB. Along with such a majority of public support, this could lead to another general strike

I think we would be foolish to let this opportunity pass us by to show our support for fellow workers and disgust at a capitalist system. I think Communists, Anarchists and Socialists should all be out showing support - regardless of what differences we may have. We now have the opportunity to stand alongside fellow workers for a better system, and to advocate the broad left-wing ideologies all over the country.