THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has recommended that its members vote to accept proposals to resolve their recent strike.

It follows a Labour Court recommendation in the INMO’s favour on disputed parts of the proposed new contract for staff nurses and midwives.

Talks between the government and the union were referred to the Labour Court last month after the INMO rejected draft government contracts as “unreasonable”.

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha called the Labour Court recommendation “total vindication” for its members.

“The government’s proposals were completely unreasonable and we are glad to see the Court has recognised this,” she said this evening.

The recommendation has removed Government proposals for four, six and eight-hour shifts and for changes in workplace locations during a shift, while it also ruled out proposals for split shifts, which would be divided across the day.

Meanwhile, the recommendation guaranteed that new nurses and midwives could reach the a higher scale after one year and 16 weeks.

The recommendations came after nurses went on general strike for a number of days in February, protesting against what they called a recruitment and retention crisis in the sector.

The government initially refused to budge on its position over wage increases for nurses, before the Labour Court intervened to avert further strikes. 

“There is no longer anything to fear in this new contract,” Ní Sheaghdha added.

“The nurses and midwives of our Executive Council have now decided to fully recommend this deal to members.

“It does not resolve all our issues, but we believe it is a significant step forward for nurses, midwives and patients across Ireland.”

The INMO executive will now ballot its members on the proposals from 8 April.