Sinn Fein spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said that the government is running out of time to negotiate a deal with health and community workers.

Deputy O’Reilly was speaking after workers today voted in favour of strike action in three weeks’ time.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“A three-week strike notice was issued today following a ballot of health and community workers represented by Fórsa, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Siptu.

“None of these workers want to be on a picket line – they want to be providing the services that so many families across the state rely upon.

“But they feel that they have no choice but to take industrial action because of the government’s failure to address persistent funding and recruitment and retention issues.

“These workers quite rightly feel like they are being treated as second class citizens. They deliver all the services that public servants deliver, but these workers do so without the same or comparable terms and conditions.

“In some cases, staff have significantly worse terms than their HSE counterparts at similar grades.

“This strike notice must serve as a wake-up call for government, in particular the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe.

“There will be no resolution to this issue until the decision-makers are in the room with the workers’ trade unions and representatives.

“Ministers Donohoe and Donnelly must come to the table to negotiate a fair deal for workers, and the many families who rely on the services they provide.”