The INMO represents around 50,000 nurses and midwives, and describes itself as Ireland’s only trade union and professional organisation exclusively for nurses and midwives. Here’s what it does.
Imagine starting your first job in Ireland after moving from overseas, and being unsure whether your pay grade, overtime or annual leave are right. Who do you ask without risking your job? For tens of thousands of nurses in Ireland, the answer is the INMO.
This article is part of our guide: Nursing Councils, Associations and Unions Explained.
What the INMO does
- Industrial representation and employment rights support
- Negotiation on pay, staffing and conditions
- Professional education, training and conferences
- Library and research resources
- Advocacy and campaigns on patient safety and staffing
- WIN magazine for members
A century of history
The INMO has more than 100 years of history, having celebrated its centenary in 2019. It represents nurses and midwives in both public and private sectors.
Campaigns
The INMO is known for highlighting overcrowding in Irish emergency departments, including counting patients waiting on trolleys, and for campaigning on safe staffing.
International nurses in Ireland
Ireland recruits many internationally educated nurses. Register with the NMBI first, and consider joining a union when you start work.
But will joining a union mark me as a troublemaker with my new employer?
Union membership is legal, common and private in Ireland. Most nurses in Irish public hospitals are union members. Joining is about having support if you need it, not about causing trouble.
Your next step: If you’re registering with the NMBI or starting a job in Ireland, check the INMO’s membership page and its advice for internationally educated nurses.
Related: Do nurses need unions? · Council vs association vs union
Source: Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, “About the INMO” (inmo.ie).
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