Labour Court recommends HSE acknowledge framework agreement and end industrial action

The Labour Court recommended that the HSE acknowledge that a 2004 framework agreement covering staff transferred to the health service remained in force unless the HSE and the Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union agreed to end it. The recommendation was signed on 6 May 2010. The dispute followed industrial action by union members that affected the HSE’s ability to maintain financial management systems. The Court recommended that the union immediately cease action limiting the provision of key financial data to the HSE Board, its chief executive and the Department of Health and Children. The Court also recommended that the parties make only the changes to the agreement needed if the proposed public service agreement were ratified. It called for work towards standardised conditions across the public health sector and further engagement on outstanding agreements. If the proposed agreement was ratified, the standardisation process was to conclude by 30 September 2010.