St Aidan’s Day Care Centre, Gorey. Pic: Christy Farrell.

A row over the non-payments of increments due to health workers at St. Aidan’s Services Ltd triggered a one-day work stoppage last Wednesday, with more planned unless the matter is quickly settled, as discussions between the unions, St. Aidan’s and the HSE, came before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), IMPACT and SIPTU staged a 24-hour stoppage forcing the closure of day services at Millands, Gorey, and Camolin.

Residential care provided by St Aidan’s was not affected by strike action.

Staff at St Aidan’s feel badly let down by the refusal of HSE management to pay them what they are owned. This row has been going on for six years since 2010 when the HSE withdrew funding for salary increments.

In a short statement to The Echo the HSE said it works closely with St. Aidan’s Services, values the outstanding care provided by the organisation (which the HSE supports with funding through Section 39 of the Health Act) and looks forward to continued co-operation in serving the community in North County Wexford.

It added: “It is not appropriate for the HSE to comment on employment matters particular to St. Aidan’s Services Ltd.”

Full story in this week’s week’s edition of THE GOREY ECHO.