Ireland: Medical group resolves collective agreement competition spat

The Irish Medical Organization has reportedly settled with the Competition Authority in court, ending a dispute regarding the negotiation of collective agreements of self-employed IMO members.

According to reports, the Competition Authority sued the health group last July for allowing self-employed members to join forces to collectively negotiate payment, a violation of competition law. The IMO had threatened to withdraw from publically-funded programs in response to the Authority’s suit.

But in a resolution, the IMO will now be allowed higher bargaining power with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive regarding public contracts, but the regulator will remain the final ruler regarding employee payment.

The IMO has reportedly agreed to not organize boycotts or service withdrawals among its members and to advise its members to individually – not collectively – decide their own participation in publicly funded health schemes.

Full content: RTE News

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