Following the Irish Government decision to cut the pay of new graduate nurses, the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) (EFN) has issued a letter supporting the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (INMO) campaign on equal pay for the new graduate nurses.
The EFN letter reads as follow:
“Brussels, 25 January – The Irish government currently holds the EU Presidency and EFN counts on the Irish politicians to strengthen European citizens’ belief in a prosperous future, in having a good job and healthy lifestyle. As Commissioner Byrne always said: ‘investing in health is wealth’.
As the European nurses have always seen Ireland as the incubator for innovation and development, think about nurse prescribing, integrated care and many other cost‐effective measures to support healthcare
system redesign, the EFN, representing 6 million nurses, is chocked that the Irish government severely reduces new graduates salaries. We just cannot get it!
EFN believes that your decision will negatively impact on the nursing workforce planning and the quality and safety of care, two EU Joint Actions in which the Irish government is actively engaged. It seems to me that what you do at home is totally opposite of what you preach at EU level.
Take the European Digital agenda and the upcoming Horizon 2020, you will need a motivated, high qualified nursing workforce! You will not reach this by the launched “New Graduate Jobs initiative”.
Therefore, the EFN urges the Irish Department of Health, the Minister of Health to:
‐ Immediately cancel the ‘new graduates Job initiative’ as its targets only nurses, mainly women, who already suffered enough from your ongoing austerity measures.
‐ More respect the nurses’ contribution to the healthcare system by providing nurse graduates a decent salary, not just above minimum wage.
The EFN is therefore proud the Irish Nurses and Midwifery Organisation (INMO) leads the equal pay campaign, supported by all EFN members from 34 Member States!”
Further information:
– Stop Pay Cut to Qualified Irish Nurses!
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