4th April 2013

IMO suspends scheduled proceedings at AGM to hold emergency debate on Croke Park II proposals
 Calls for “No” vote on Croke Park II
 Members will not be bound by ICTU decision
 IMO will consider all options to block big pay cuts and much longer working hours to the detriment of patient care

Thursday 4 April 2013 – The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has suspended scheduled proceedings at its AGM today to hold an emergency debate on the Croke Park II proposals.

The organisation interrupted its AGM to vote on a motion that IMO members will not be bound by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) accepting the Croke Park II proposals, which aim to impose large pay cuts and much longer working hours on IMO members.

The motion also states that the IMO Council will consider all its options in the event that ICTU’s Public Service Committee approves Croke Park II later this month.

“The IMO is urging all members who will suffer from Croke Park II to vote against it in the current IMO ballot. We need to send a clear message to Government that our members have no more left to give,” said IMO

“If today’s motion is approved by members, the IMO will review all its options to block Croke Park II and protect its members from huge pay cuts and much longer working hours. We cannot accept a deal that is imposed on us by other unions because it suits their agenda”.

The IMO, together with Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation, the Civil Public and Services Union and UNITE, withdrew from the Croke Park II talks on Sunday 24 February as it felt there was nothing being proposed that addressed the savings being sought other than to increase the working of hours of doctors, impact negatively on patient care and take more money out of the pockets of public sector workers.

“Since leaving the talks the IMO Council unanimously agreed to recommend rejection of the proposals. They are bad for public sector workers, bad for private sector workers and will do nothing to restart growth in the economy,” said [Dr McKeown].

“We have also seen unprecedented interference by government ministers in the democratic processes of trade unions. This interference is nothing more than threats and bullying tactics in an attempt to coerce union members into accepting the unacceptable.”

The IMO and the other unions have held 11 meetings across the country in recent weeks to explain what the proposals mean in practice for their members.

Further Information
Maria Murphy
mmurphy@imo.ie

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