Publications
Partners
- Seven unions representing healthcare workers are currently leading lunch-time pickets in Limpopo.
- The unions are aggrieved over the Limpopo health department's move to trim its budget.
- The department believes it is spending too much on overtime payments.
Seven trade unions in the health sector in Limpopo on Tuesday vowed to continue with a strike, which is expected to cripple services across the province.
The strike has been scheduled to start on Monday next week.
Currently, lunch hour pickets are being held at several health facilities.
READ | WHO will pay out a lump sum for vaccine side effects from Covid-19 Covax programme
At a press briefing in Polokwane, the seven trade unions reiterated its demand for health authorities to withdraw a circular, which changes the working conditions of the workers.
"We warn that healthcare services will be severely affected in all hospitals and clinics, and thousands of poor community members will be affected if head of department, Dr TF Mhlongo, and her Exco, do not swallow their pride and withdraw circular 43 of 2020 and circular 04 of 2021 with immediate effect," the unions said.
The strike may affect all 43 hospitals, more than 400 clinics and all emergency medical services in the province.
Dispelled
Speaking on behalf of the seven unions, Nehawu chairperson David Tshamaano dispelled a statement by health authorities that the strike was unprotected, and that participating workers may be disciplined and risk not being vaccinated against Covid-19.
"This is the most irresponsible statement ever made by a senior official of the department," Tshamaano said.
"We have a certificate from the public health sector and social development bargaining council. The strike is protected and hundreds of our members will participate," he said.
READ | Prof Shabir Madhi 'mortified' after govt abandons AstraZeneca vaccine
Several meetings were held in the past, but collapsed.
Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) secretary Jacob Molepo said it was up to the employer to reach a level service agreement with the unions, especially concerning essential workers.
"It is a lesson to the health authorities that they should have negotiated," Molepo said.
The province's health head of department, Dr Thokozani Mhlongo, has indicated that the changing of working conditions was necessitated by budgetary constraints.
Mhlongo said 70% of the budget was being swallowed by salaries and overtime.
More than R900 million was spent on overtime in the 2019/20 financial, she said.
