Strike action at St Luke’s Hospital called off to allow for ’emergency talks’

By COLIN BARTLEY

THE planned strike at St Luke’s General Hospital tomorrow morning was dramatically called off tonight.

The action, which would have severely curtailed local hospital services, was deferred to allow for emergency talks following an 11th-hour breakthrough in negotiations.

More than 150 staff support workers, including porters, cleaners, healthcare professionals and security personnel were due to walk out in a row over pay.

The Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU), representing the affected workers, have called off the 24-hour strike at the request of Workplace Relations Commission(WRC).

SIPTU will meet the WRC at 2.30pm tomorrow afternoon for fresh talk to see if they can resolve the dispute.

This will come as a relief to the Health Service Executive (HSE) who were preparing for significant disruptions.

St Luke’s is one of 38 hospitals and healthcare facilities where strike action was due to take place.

Tomorrow cancelled action was to be the first of six national days of action planned.

Preparations are still being made for strike action to take place next Tuesday, June 25 and Wednesday, June 26.