Medical scientists have accepted a recommendation from the Labour Court to return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to resolve a dispute over ongoing recruitment and retention issues in the sector.

As a result of this, the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association (MLSA), which is the union that represents medical scientists, has suspended plans for three consecutive days of industrial action next week.

This action would have involved the withdrawal of routine laboratory services from 8am to 8pm from May 31 to June 2. This would have had a major impact on routine hospital and GP services nationwide.

A day of industrial action was held on May 18 and similar action was planned for May 24 and 25. However, this was suspended after the MLSA accepted an invitation to attend the Labour Court for exploratory talks on the dispute with the HSE and Department of Health.

After these talks, the Labour Court requested that both parties engage further at the WRC for a period of at least three weeks starting on May 25.

The Labour Court has requested notification after that timeframe if an agreement has been reached or not. It has requested that if any outstanding issues remain, that they are referred back to the Court which has an accepted authority to make a recommendation that is binding for both parties.

According to MLSA general secretary Terry Casey, the union remains committed to resolving severe recruitment and retention issues in the sector and achieving a sustainable work structure for medical scientists, patients and the Irish health service.

A number of issues have contributed to the staffing crisis in this sector including:

-Medical scientists carry out identical work to other colleagues in hospital laboratories (clinical biochemists) but are paid, on average, 8% less

-Medical laboratory aides who report to medical scientists start on a higher salary

-Medical scientists have fewer career progression opportunities, less training supports and less continuous education supports than comparable colleagues.

As a result of these issues, 20% of approved hospital posts are currently unfilled, which according to the MLSA, is unsustainable.