Hospital’s cleaners seek resolution to grievances
The workers are complaining about earning R1800 per month despite years of service while cleaning staff in state clinics are allegedly earning more.
The cleaning staff at Murchison Hospital are faced with several challenges and according to them their employer, Isiphiwo Trading CC has failed to resolve these issues.
The staff held a meeting with their employer, the hospital’s CEO and leadership recently after they had raised their concerns with the hospital’s management for some years. They also demanded that the hospital and the Department of Health take immediate action against the employer.
Some of the grievances are irregular working hours which are unaccounted for, salaries, deductions, working contracts and unpaid monies
The staff said a lot has been happening since 2016, and to date relief staff who were contracted to work a few days a week, now work only two days week, which will reduce their salaries
One of the staff members who did not wish to be named spoke to the Herald on behalf of the group: “We sign for seven working hours a day, yet we work 13 hours, especially when working a night shift. We do not have a night shift allowance, no sick leave or maternity leave. Most of us are not registered as permanent staff and are not recognised by the Department of Labour, yet we have worked for over five years for the same company.”
The staff member said in January some of them did not get paid for overtime and for working during the public holidays.
“We worked throughout December 2022 and now the employer does not want to pay us for those days. On our payslips an amount is deducted for the bargaining council, however, none of us signed any form permitting these deductions and we have not received any explanation about it.
“We want the employer out. We can no longer work for them. We have sent the employer enquiries and the hospital CEO as well, and have not received any feedback.
Last Friday, the employer came to the hospital to meet with the staff to discuss the issues. It was a closed meeting and the media could not attend, however, feedback from the staff was that they were unhappy with the employer’s ‘resolutions’.
“She told us that she would be paying us the monies owed to us for the holiday season, but only 15 days. She thereafter told us that she will be sending a representative of the company to discuss the matters further on a weekly basis.”
Attempts to get comment from the employer were made, however all calls were unanswered and no response was received via email either.
The Department of Health said it cannot comment as the matter is between the employees and the employer.
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