Labour Court recommends HSE seek volunteers for part-time sleepover shifts

The Labour Court recommended that the HSE invite part-time staff to commit to a defined number of sleepover shifts, with the HSE committing to provide that number of shifts. If too few volunteer, the HSE could roster staff for sleepovers in proportion to their contracted hours. The dispute with the Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union, the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union and Unite concerned sleepover shifts for part-time staff in childcare and intellectual disability services. The unions argued that additional shifts should be voluntary and compulsory shifts pro rata to contracted hours; the HSE said it needed part-time staff to cover rosters. The recommendation was signed on 17 December 2015. The Court said commitments would be irrevocable for an agreed period. The parties could refer the duration back to the Court if they could not agree, and the arrangement should be reviewed after two years or earlier by agreement.