The Irish Nurses' Organisation has announced the result of their ballot over the deal to settle the pay and hours dispute - their members have voted by 54% to 46% to accept the deal.

The most significant thing about this ballot is the turnout. Many union ballots in the UK struggle to get above 20% or so, but 70% of the INO 's 35,000 members took part in the vote. That's a tribute to the high level of involvement and commitment to the dispute amongst the union's membership, I guess, and is a target to aim for if and when UNISON and other health unions ballot over our pay campaign.

The result of the ballot by Irish nurses on the compromise deal in their dispute is expected shortly. According to RTE News, the ballot is currently described as too close to call. I'm still trying to find a definitive source for the proposals. They seem better than first reported, in that the reduction in the working week to 37.5 comes with no loss of pay (although the media still describe it as "cost-neutral" because it will need to be funded by efficiencies) and significant pay rises.