Medical Laboratory Scientists Association Industrial Action

I have written to the Minister for Health to ask him to instruct the HSE to meaningfully engage with the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association on the current dispute. This strike will have significant impacts on patients, many of whom have already had to deal with disruptions to their care as a result of COVID and the cyber attack on the HSE. The HSE needs to put a proposal on how to move forward to the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association.

Letter below:

Dear Minister,

Tomorrow will see Medical Laboratory Scientists Association members strike. This strike will have significant impacts on patients, many of whom have already had to deal with disruptions to their care as a result of COVID and the cyber attack on the HSE. Five further days of action are planned which, failing action from the HSE, will result in further disruption for patients.

The dispute, as I’m sure you are aware, dates back to 2001. In spite of the initial Expert Group Report and the more recent involvement of the Workplace Relations Commission we now seem to be at the point where the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association has not received any proposals from the HSE on how this dispute should be resolved.

I ask that you instruct the HSE to prioritise the resolution of this issue. It is not acceptable that patients be left to bear the costs of inaction on this matter.

Is mise le meas,
Neasa Hourigan TD

---

Image credit