Health workers return to work after negotiations

POLOKWANE – Picketing health-care workers and the department of health reached an agreement following a meeting last Thursday that put an end to workers’ protest action.

This follows after employees left their posts for the third time this year.

On January 14, workers embarked on a protest march and delivered a memorandum, with their grievances and demands listed, to the department.

One of the demands was that the department should respond to their memorandum by January 28.

When the department failed to do so, employees picketed again, demanding a response.

After they did not receive a response by last Thursday, these employees picketed again.

Department communications manager, Macks Lesufi, said the picketing was regarded as illegal strike action by the department.

Last Thursday, workers’ representatives and the department met and reached an agreement, the contents of which included:

• That workers acknowledged that they had participated in illegal and unprotected strike action;

• That workers’ demands were dealt with at the Public Services Bargaining Council;

• That union representatives should provide leadership in advising workers involved on the outcomes of the labour bargaining process;

• That employees went back to their workstations with immediate effect;

• That the principle of “no work no pay” would apply regarding their illegal picketing, and

• that representatives would report to their colleagues on the outcome of these discussions.

Lesufi said employees had returned to their duties and no more interruptions had been reported at any of the medical facilities.

“We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused as a result of these actions and we want to assure the public that we are committed to continue rendering quality health-care service,” he concluded.