Six electricians in James’ Hospital, members of the TEEU, are on strike over subcontracting and dilution of their work. These changes imposed by management have resulted in major health and safety issues for the hospital. Outside contractors have been brought in without prior agreement and in breach of agreed procedures to take over repairing and resetting the fire alarms. The changes have already resulted in a number of “near-misses” in the hospital’s fire alarm system.
TEEU members held a one day strike on Monday 16th August. They intend to hold another one day strike next Monday escalating to two days the following week if management don’t engage in talks. So far management has refused to sit down with the union or go to the labour court.
The electricians have traditionally been responsible for fire alarms but under new work practices security staff is now responsible for the system. According to the electricians their lack of knowledge of the system has put staff and patients in danger. Far from management’s claims that these are merely “teething problems” a number of major incidents have occurred over a period of six months.
Gerry, one of the strikers said, “The union is concerned about health and safety as well as job security issues resulting from the contracting out of services.”
A number of SIPTU and IMPACT union members refused to cross the picket line in solidarity with the electricians.
Cutbacks in the overall maintenance budget for the hospital and not replacing staff has meant essential maintenance has had to be postponed. One maintenance worker who refused to cross the TEEU picket said “We are now doing fire brigade repairs with no time to do all the jobs necessary.”
One Impact member explained how the cutbacks in the health budget were endangering lives. A number of lab workers were working extra overtime for free to process life saving tests such as colonoscopies for patients. It was delays in getting such test results that caused the death of Suzie Long a few years ago. Such self-sacrificing effort shows up the government propaganda about cosseted and greedy public sector workers.
It is the ordinary health workers who are fighting to defend our health service against HSE management and government cutbacks.
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