The Labour Court issued a wide-ranging recommendation in a national nurses’ dispute involving the Department of Health and Children, the Health Service Employers Agency, the Department of Finance, the Irish Nurses’ Organisation, the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association and the Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union. Dated 27 October 1999, it followed four days and nights of talks, after which the parties had agreed some matters and referred unresolved issues to the Court.
Among its recommendations, the Court set a £29,600 top rate for Clinical Nurse Manager 3, increased the proposed number of Senior Staff Nurse posts from 2,000 to 2,500 at 5% above the Staff Nurse rate, and recommended 1,100 Clinical Nurse Manager 1 posts and 1,250 Clinical Nurse Specialist posts. It also recommended time-and-a-sixth pay between 6pm and 8pm for people working shifts of at least eight hours, effective one month after acceptance of the recommendation.
The parties recorded their acceptance of a 2% increase on all points of nursing scales and allowances from 1 July 1999. The Court also recommended revised salary arrangements for nurse teachers, with increases similar to those for other management grades and the same phasing.