Health unions to decide on whether to suspend strike action

Trade union negotiators spent several hours in discussions with officials from the Department of Health at Stormont on the offer proposed by Mr Swann.

The key demands from the unions had been for healthcare workers’ pay to be brought into line with the rate in England, and for an increase in staffing levels.

Mr Swann announced on Tuesday that the extra money needed for pay parity will be made available, and he outlined proposals to deal with the staffing levels.

But unions appeared to cast doubt on Wednesday morning on whether the offer would be enough to bring the industrial action to an end due to uncertainty about the proposals to increase staffing levels.

Following discussions, union officials are now expected to bring the offer back for internal discussions on whether the strikes can be suspended.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), who had already notified the department of its intention to strike again on Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week, said before the meetings today that there was not enough “detail and reassurance” in the plans to tackle the staffing problems.

Another union engaged in industrial action, Unison, also said that a “framework agreement” on staffing levels was still required.

Nipsa, meanwhile, said the position on staffing levels was “unclear”.

RCN Northern Ireland director Pat Cullen, speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, said: “At this point in time, I do not have enough detail and reassurance that I could put to the Northern Ireland board and propose that we suspend our strike action.”

In a statement, Nipsa said: “The position on the critical issue of safe staffing is still unclear. While additional money has been made available, management have not made clear what impact this will have in dealing with the problems we face.”

Unison official Anne Speed said: “On the second aspect of our dispute, safe staffing, we have to get word into a framework agreement that is enough for all unions to bring back to their executives.”