The latest report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body, which could have major implications for industrial peace in the health service this year, is to be published on Thursday. Particular focus will be placed on the recommendations made on nurses’ pay. The campaign for a 10.5% increase in nurse pay was, along with a reduction in the working week, a key component of the campaign of industrial action by the INO and the PNA unions last spring.As part of the settlement terms, it was agreed that the pay issue be dealt with by the benchmarking process. The nurse unions subsequently made a major submission to the benchmarking body dealing with their claim for a pay increase, the need to address pay anomalies for nurses and an expanded role for the nurse. It is felt that a failure by the benchmarking report to satisfy nurses’ pay claims could lead to an even more bitter dispute with health employers this year. The nurse dispute settlement also provided for an interim reduction in the nurse/midwife working week to 37.5 hours and an independent assessment of how an eventual 35-hour week for nurses can be achieved.  Health Minister Mary Harney said recently that because of the changed financial circumstances for exchequer funding, it was essential that the planned introduction of the 37.5-hour week from this summer was achieved on a cost-neutral basis. Read more