A planned protest by SIPTU members outside the annual conference of the Nurses and Midwives Board of Ireland (NMBI), on Thursday, 9th October, has been suspended due to the postponement of the event. The protest was to highlight the refusal by nurses and midwives to accept an attempt by NMBI to increase the retention fee for members for 2015, from €100 to €150. All nurses and midwives must be registered with NMBI in order to practice their profession in Ireland. SIPTU Nursing Sector Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “I believe the postponement of the NMBI Conference is a direct result of the trade union campaign against the rise in retention fees and our publicly stated intention to hold a public protest outside. This is tangible evidence that our campaign is working, enjoys the support of the nursing and midwifery professions and must continue until we have this inexplicable decision by NMBI reversed".He added: “Nurses and midwives will now hold a public protest, to coincide with the next ordinary meeting of the NMBI board, which is scheduled for Tuesday, 18th November. This protest will begin at mid-day outside NMBI Headquarters, 18/20 Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin”.
Planned protest by nurses and midwives forces postponement of NMBI conference
