CHANGE WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF NCHDs ARE STRONG AND UNITED

CHANGE WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF NCHDs ARE STRONG AND UNITED

5 STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE

STEP 1                 STAY WITH IMO AND ENCOURAGE COLLEAGUES TO BE PART OF THE CAMPAIGN

STEP 2                 ATTEND IMO MEETINGS

STEP 3                 STAY INFORMED THROUGH FACEBOOK 

STEP 4                 VOTE IN THE UPCOMING BALLOT

STEP 5                 GET ACTIVE AND STAY ENGAGED – IT’S YOUR FUTURE AT STAKE

Dear Colleagues,

The IMO has been on a campaign to gather the views of NCHDs through our Have Your Say Meetings.  We listened to what you and your colleagues had to say which culminated in our Time For Change Agenda. 

Despite lots of talk about health reform and wanting to keep doctors in Ireland it is clear that this Government, the Department of Health and the HSE have no interest in engaging in any positive way with NCHDs…..and indeed treat us with absolute disrespect.

The IMO NCHD Committee has met to consider what options are available to us in terms of pursuing an agenda of change with our employers.  While deeply regrettable, in the face of a Government that does not care, we have no option but to hold a ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action. Preparatory work is underway and a ballot will issue following information meetings with NCHDs.  It is vital that all NCHDs take part.

This decision has not been easy but has been made in the context of:

• HSE, Department of Health and Department of Public Expenditure & Reform breaching an agreement reached in the High Court on 27^th October – that agreement allowed for negotiations on Living Out Allowance and other issues such as training yet after just two meetings the management side collapsed the talks.  The Living Out Allowance is worth €3,182 and there are over 4,000 NCHDs are who entitled to this under contract but who have not been paid.  That equates to between 5% and 10% of pay due to you that has been stopped by HSE.
• Consistent breaches of contract in relation to payment of overtime and other entitlements
• No recognition of prohibitive costs to individual doctors who have to pay for necessary training from personal resources.
• Ongoing lack of respect for the working conditions of NCHDs where they are treating patients in overcrowded and under resourced environments.  This is leading to an ever increasing number of doctors emigrating to work in countries that value and respect them.

You deserve to be listened to and this Government must adopt a realistic and workable retention initiative for NCHDs that will allow them to ultimately pursue their career in Ireland.