Both sides in Coombe Hospital dispute invited to WRC

Management at Dublin’s Coombe Hospital and the Connect trade union have been invited to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in a bid to resolve a dispute over the introduction of handheld technology.

Yesterday, Connect said it would commence a ballot of craft workers in hospitals across the country after the union accused the Coombe of breaching agreed industrial relations procedures which had resulted in the lockout of six union members.

Connect said that hospital management has tried to unilaterally enforce a change to members’ terms and conditions of employment and that the introduction of new handheld technology is part of national discussions between unions and hospital management.

A spokesperson for the Coombe said the hospital has been endeavouring to implement a move away from a paper-based system to the use of digital handheld devices for the assignment of work to maintenance staff.

The hospital said it welcomed the invitation from the WRC.

“The Coombe has consistently expressed its willingness to engage with staff representatives on this matter which has already been the subject of engagement for over 18 months,” a spokesperson said.

“It is the Coombe’s position that the implementation of a digital maintenance system was fully in line with normal IR practices and the Building Momentum pay agreement and the hospital welcomes the opportunity to engage on this through the mechanisms of the WRC,” the Coombe said.