Fórsa members at the Louth County Group of hospitals have served notice of a one-day industrial action, due to take place on Tuesday 9th May.

The notice of industrial action, served to hospital management on Wednesday (19th April), follows a ballot concluded last month in an ongoing dispute about staff shortages, and hospital management’s failure to recruit urgently needed staff.

Fórsa members at the group of hospitals, comprising health and social care professionals (‘HSCPs’), clerical and administrative grades, backed the action by a margin of 98.4%, securing a mandate to engage in industrial action, up to and including strike action.

As of 9am on Tuesday 9th May Fórsa clerical administrative grade members will, as an act of industrial action, will suspend the provision on information on financial reports, daily emergency department statistics, delayed discharge statistics and HIPE data export.

HSCP members will take part in the industrial actions including non-answering of phones, referrals only between the hours of 09:00 and 14:00, while patients will be prioritised based on clinical need.

Assistant general secretary Lynn Coffey informed management that continued failure to address the issues in dispute would mean an escalation of industrial actions, due to commence on 22nd May.

Lynn served the notice of industrial action, noting there had been no response to Fórsa’s correspondence issued to management at the end of March, despite commitments by management to provide written communication on proposed recruitment measures.

She said that, in the absence of any information, and due to continuing pressure on staff, the union had no choice but to serve notice of industrial action across the group, comprised of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and the Cottage hospital in Drogheda, and Louth County Hospital in Dundalk.

Lynn added: “This action has become necessary because Fórsa members are working in unsafe environments as a direct consequence of management inaction.

“Demand for services continue to increase, while staff shortages place incredible pressure on staff. It can’t go on. Fórsa has continued to raise the issue of declining numbers in these grades and professions since summer 2022.

“Management has failed to replenish exiting staff, seem happy to leave posts vacant and have ignored requests for additional staff made on a business needs basis from teams within the hospital group and Fórsa.

"Recruitment drives for other medical professions across the hospitals have delivered good and solid results. New clinical staff need support from Fórsa grades.

“Fórsa members have continued to work within teams and departments experiencing staff shortages, working through breaks, covering vacant posts, and extending their working hours in order to meet the demands of service. The system is stretched too thin,” she said.