Medical Scientists have suspended their planned industrial action tomorrow, after accepting an invitation to attend the Labour Court for exploratory talks on the dispute.
The Labour Court intervened in the dispute today inviting both parties to engage in a process which will commence tomorrow.
Both the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association (MLSA) and HSE/Department of Health have accepted the invitation.
As a result, the MLSA has this evening issued notice to all of its 2,100 members to suspend further strikes which were planned for tomorrow, and to resume work as normal tomorrow morning across all hospital laboratories, University Hospital Waterford inclusive.
MLSA General Secretary Terry Casey said the Union will enter the Labour Court process in good faith and with commitment to resolving the severe recruitment and retention issues in the laboratory sector.
“The MLSA’s Executive Committee met this afternoon and has agreed to accept the Labour Court’s invitation. We will remain focused on what is required to achieve a sustainable work structure for Medical Scientists, patients and the Irish health service.”
Industrial action followed many rounds of unsuccessful talks with HSE & Department of Health.
In a ballot of MLSA members last November, 98% voted in favour of taking the action.
There are significant levels of burnout and frustration among medical scientists because of a severe recruitment and retention problem.
Up to 20% of approved Medical Scientist posts are unfilled in hospitals - while medical scientists carry out identical work to other colleagues in hospital laboratories, yet are paid on average 8% less.
Many feel that they have fewer career development opportunities and less support for training and education than comparable colleagues. The role for laboratory diagnostics is currently expanding with increasing responsibility and workloads.
Medical scientists at UHW were among those on the picket today - but they will now return to work tomorrow as talks talk place.
