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The Informer
The Drift Comment Box
By Liam Doran, Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation
No to nursing on the cheap
Dublin by Numbers
73%
DublinInformer
This is the percentage of payments which are more than 30 days late according to a survey by the Small Firms Association. Late payments are a vicious spiral. Firms waiting for cash slow down their payments to other firms and so on. The state has made some attempt to change the balance but in a situation where companies don't have money they simply can't pay others.
The winners of the tickets for the 9-5 competition Paula A. Maher, Leitrim. Christina C Anderson, Sandyford.
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The INMO has always supported the commencement of a nursing graduate initiative, aimed at retaining new Irish graduates in this country, as a solid investment in the future of our healthcare system. However, the proposal by the Government, on this potentially very good idea, has been tarnished and sullied by the proposed payment of 80% of the public sector pay rate for new graduates taking up the programme. The simple conversion from employment through an agency to direct employment, while placing the new graduate on the minimum of the agreed public sector scale (already reduced by 10% for new entrants), would have saved the HSE over 54% per annum. However, this very significant saving was not sufficient and the government now appears intent upon imposing this 80% rate even though the new graduate, as a registered nurse/midwife, will carry the full duties and responsibilities of a registered and regulated health professional. The new graduate scheme, which was announced by the Department of Health without any consultation or discussion, would see 2012 graduates, while performing the full range of duties, responsibilities and obligations of all registered nurses and midwives, paid at 80% of the minimum of the staff nurse scale. The INMO condemns this exploitative approach to these young, registered and regulated nurses and midwives as opportunistic and greedy. Against this background the IMNO has decided to commence a campaign of opposition to the scheme including a call for all 2012 graduates to boycott the scheme. We will also explore the possibility of a legal challenge under the Employment Equality Acts. This scheme does not involve the recruitment of 1,000 nurses/ midwives as suggested by the Department of Health and the HSE. There are no new posts and no additional posts and to suggest otherwise is blatantly misleading. In reality this is just the displacement of agency and temporary staff and their replacement, by new graduates, at 80% of the proper scale. The proposal is exploitative and seeks to undermine the value of every nurse and midwife in the country, in addition to the 2012 graduates
WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS From the producers of the recently nominated tour of The King and I (UK Theatre Awards 2012) comes a dazzling new production of Cole Porter’s timeless classic, High Society. Adapted from the hit 1956 film, High Society fizzes with a host of beautiful Cole Porter ballads including ‘True Love’, ‘You’re Sensational’ and the unforgettable ’Did You Evah!’.
To be in with a chance to win a pair of tickets to see High Society on the opening night in Tuesday February 5th answer the following question: What year was the original film of High Society released? Answers by e-mail only to competition@informer.ie Please include your contact number Closing date for entries 1st February 2013.
WIN TICKETS: ABBA AND THE BEE GEE YOU SHOULD BE DANCING! A TRIBUTE TO THE BEE GEES and SUPER TROUPERS: THE MUSIC OF ABBA The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is bringing disco back!!! Following a sell-out performance last year, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra returns with YOU SHOULD BE DANCING! A TRIBUTE TO THE BEE GEES, Thursday February 7th, National Concert Hall. Then, on Thursday February 28th, the same team return with another 70s concert, SUPER TROUPERS: THE MUSIC OF ABBA. Tickets for YOU SHOULD BE DANCING! A TRIBUTE TO THE BEE GEES and SUPER TROUPERS: THE MUSIC OF ABBA are on sale from only `11. Booking: 01 417 0000 or nch.ie
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To win a pair of tickets to BOTH concerts, simply answer the following question: The Bee Gees brothers were Barry, Robin and...... a) Ben, b) Maurice, c) Mike Answers by e-mail only to competition@informer.ie Please include your contact number Closing date for entries 1st February 2013.