work to rule in ireland

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

i've begun to read about a ongoing industrial dispute between 2 nurses unions and the public sector employer in ireland and how the irish public thinks or it.

the nurses are looking a 10% pay increase with a working week of 35hours as pt/ot etc do.

more details on http://www.rte.ie

they are not striking but working to rule, not doing clerical portering, answering phones other non nursing duties.

there employer is implying that patients are suffering.

what was telling was one comment that by working to rule they were able to look after patients better.

what intrests me is that by working to rule they are begining portray as heartless, and if nurses in the uk where to do the same what would the reaction be.

[rsmit02]

I love this post it is a great question. I have recently left the uk nursing to come to the usa as I am fed up of the nhs and agenda for change was the straw that broke the camels back I was worse off a month financially!!

I really really wish nurses would stand up for themselves. I truly believe if every nurse worked to rule for a week the country and the prime minister would be on their knees. Nursing is a predominantly female profession which is a down side as woman are less likely to strike or take what is seen as aggressive action. All to often female nurses have family and feel the risk to their jobs that is putting food on the table is not worth the fight. But we train for 3 YEARS the police do 6 WEEKS training and they earn more than we do so so the fire service.

At my local Tescos the junior manager was earning more than me. Nurses are the back bone of a country they save lives. Lots of nurses objected to agenda for change but we as a profession as a whole did nothing we sat back and took it. It was a perfect oppertunity to stand together and demand our worth, dedication, training and knowledge was worth more than you get working in Tescos!!!!

I got £1300 a month in my pocket at home as a D grade with 10 years experience, I couldnt get a promotion to E grade as everytime an E grade left the job was frozen and a D grade does it for a D grades pay. When I started nursisng a D grade couldnt do this or that only E grades now its fine for us to do it its cheaper. My friend drives a lorry with frozen food monday to friday 9-5 he comes home with £1350 a month he thinks it is hilarious I worked so hard to get my degree in nursing when he did nothing and he is earning more than me. I work all the awful hours, I work christmas, my birthday, my kids birthdays he doesnt.

Its not fair and until nurses as a profession get together and at the least work to rule then nothing will change. So I say well done the irish nurses!! As for the publics perception I really think most the uk public has no idea how badly we are paid for what we do, everyone knows a nurse who they respect who took care of a loved one and I think they would be outrages if they truly knew what the goverment really did with agenda for change. I think the public would understand and back a work to rule 100%

Ruthx

[wannabeE.R.RN]

I'm sure the UK Nursing Union is drawing up plans to do likewise......

Good Luck to the all Irish Nurses

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

hi wannabe er rn

i'm from N.I but training in manchester

[wannabeE.R.RN]

Hi Ayla.... Good luck with your training:) ...