Emergency services strike averted
Emergency medical service protest was averted this week after the Department of Health paid employees overtime due in September 2014.
AN emergency service protest strike which included at least 200 of KZN's emergency medical service paramedics scheduled to start this week has been averted.
Kisten Subbadu, liaison officer for the Public Servants Association, a registered trade union representing the majority of KZN EMS personnel said on Monday, “We have taken a collective decision to suspend the protest action. We presented a myriad of demands to the employer (Department of Health) inter alia, the non payment of overtime since September 2014 as well as the non implementation of the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD), a career pathing model for EMS personalising, to this end they became privy of our intention to take protest action and the MEC, instructed the CFO, to fast track the payment of overtime and OSD payments.”
Subbadu said last Thursday, the employees overtime from September was paid. “We were also told and a commitment came in writing that the balance of the overtime would be paid in by Thursday, 4 February this week.”
With regard to the OSD itself, Subbadu said the employer released a list late on Friday afternoon of all qualifying recipients. However there was no mention of a set date when the payment of the OSD will be effected, only that they have indeed “fast-tracked the process and have indicted an amount of R14 milion was made available for that purpose.”
“Seeing that the employee is indeed making progress in relation to both our grievances, members felt that it would be counter productive at this stage to continue with protest action, however they do reserve their right should payment in respect of career pathing not be made within a reasonable timeframe, they will mobilize their members in pursuance of protest action,” Subbadu said.
