An MLSA delegation met with the HSE and Department of Health on Wednesday 27th April, Due to the failure of the employer side to issue a proposal that the union could put to its members, the Executive Committee has voted to serve industrial action notice on the HSE and section 38 employers today.
The dates for industrial action are as follows, from 8am to 8pm each day:
Wednesday 18th May 2022
Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th May
Tuesday 31st May, Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd June
The MLSA has made every effort to avoid taking industrial action, because of the serious impact it will have on the health service and on patient care, and to protect benefits already held by members. However despite lengthy negotiations, it has not been possible to secure a mechanism to resolve our claim and it is now clear that without industrial action we cannot achieve our longstanding goal and rightful expectation of parity with clinical biochemists, as recommended by the 2001 Expert Group and accepted by the HSE and Department of Health.