First COHSE Branch in Northern Ireland 1958

First COHSE Branch in Northern Ireland 1958

Armagh Shows the Way

AN EXAMPLE TO ULSTER'S 4,000 NURSES

By Miss Katherine. M. Daly, COHSE Organiser

THE enthusiasm of nurses in Northern Ireland is something at which I am still marveling.

Their spontaneous movement to join the Confederation (COHSE) resulted in my first visit to Northern Ireland, where my services were requested, not as is usually the case, to persuade hospital staff to become members, but to welcome a large group of nurses into membership. These nurses were aware of our efforts to improve their salaries and conditions through the Nurses and Midwives Council and were concerned that they were taking everything and giving nothing.

Nearly 100 nurses attended my first meeting in Armagh, and I was impressed that the questions were mainly on general principles and not on personal issues. At this meeting the St. Luke's Branch was established, and it was clearly indicated that the nurses in Armagh will not be content to have only one branch.

It would be wrong to suggest that this movement is confined to Armagh. Within an hour of landing at Belfast my badge was recognised by a doctor who, on being told I was an organiser, asked me to go with him to a general hospital where, he said, " The nurses have been looking for the Confederation for a long time." A number of Belfast nurses will know that I accepted this offer and anticipate visiting Belfast again in the near future to establish at least one branch there.

The aim of the Armagh Branch is to build up a membership of 4,000 nurses in Northern Ireland. Whether they have set themselves an impossible task remains to be seen but, if there are as many nurses in Northern Ireland, I am convinced we will be welcoming them into membership in the not too distant future, for in Armagh we have a group of people who have recognised that unity is strength and that as every nurse needs the Confederation, so does the Confederation need the support of every nurse.

Good luck Armagh !

COHSE Health Services Journal July 1958

Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE)

Isle of Man COHSE estb April 1956

COHSE Isle of Man

The Confederation of Health service (COHSE) branch on the Isle of Man was established in April 1956. It’s first COHSE Branch Secretary being Mr B. M. Wadsley.

Regular visits during its formative years came from Regional Secretary Fred Green, Mrs Kath Daly COHSE Women’s Officer and in 1958 from Assistant COHSE General Secretary J. Richards.

The initial membership was primarily at Ballamona Hospital must soon spread to Noble hospital after an organising campaign by Miss Kath Daly but seems to have run into opposition to the recruitment of nurses from the Matron.

Norman Counsell was also key in organising staff into COHSE at the Jane Crookall Maternity Hospital

In 1957 COHSE had recievied full recognition on the Isle of Man Joint Negotiating Machinery

COHSE Regional Secretary Fred Green won a major victory for over 100 staff (84 ancillary and 24 admin) at Noble hospital, by securing Whitley Council rates of pay (national UK pay rates). The successful tribunal ruling allowed Whitley pay as of 21^st November 1959

By 1966 the Isle of Man COHSE branch could claim 248 members

In 1969 Mrs E Wasley (wife of the Branch secretary) had been elected vice president of the Isle of Man Trades Council (The first time women has been elected to this postion). It was reported in 1970 that “one of the feature of the Isle of Man COHSE branch is the keen intrest of women members who formed a large percentage”

Bill Cubbon of Ballymena, retired in 1975 after twenty five years work and after sixteen years as the Chair of the Isle of Man COHSE branch

NOTE
NUPE did not recruit on the Isle of Man

Michael Walker UNISON