Nurses turn to President for assistance

THE Namibia Nurses’ Union says it has turned to President Hifikepunye Pohamba after talks with the Government’s negotiating team broke down.

Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati told The Namibian yesterday that they had a meeting with Pohamba, who promised to help them resolve the standoff over the payment of outstanding overtime for nurses. “We tabled our grievances with him in a meeting which was also attended by the Labour Minister (Alpheus !Naruseb) and he said the issue must be resolved amicably.He said the Minister of Health (Richard Kamwi) must sit down with us,” Shopati said.Shopati said they informed Pohamba that they have given the Ministry of Health until June 30 to pay all outstanding overtime payments to the nurses or face a march to State House.The union leader said they turned to Pohamba after an appeal to the Office of the Prime Minister failed.”We wrote to the Prime Minister (Nahas Angula) on March 5 to meet with him on March 28 but we have had no response,” Shopati said.He said the union tried to solve the issue quietly but the Government was provoking them into an unwanted strike.”They are provoking a strike.It is really shameful to see high authorities provoking a strike to cause chaos so that they call us unpatriotic.Provoking situations don’t solve problems.However, we don’t want the public to be affected.We are dealing with lives and won’t do irresponsible things,” Shopati said.The dispute was started by differences over payment for work done on Sundays and public holidays.The Ministry of Health reduced the rate of payment for nurses on Sundays and public holidays by half from April 1 last year.Health Permanent Secretary Dr Kalumbi Shangula said earlier that it was done because there were various interpretations of the Labour Act, which had led to overpayment of nurses in the past.Nanu is adamant that the Labour Act says the rate must be double the normal hourly rate.However, before they engage Government on overtime payment, Nanu must be recognised and the Office of the Prime Minister has, so far, refused to talk to them because of the recognition agreement Government has with Napwu.The nurses’ union claims it represents the majority of nurses and wants to negotiate their work conditions instead of leaving it to Napwu.They have decided to take the Government to court over the recognition agreement.Yesterday, Shopati said their lawyers were still busy with the case.”We tabled our grievances with him in a meeting which was also attended by the Labour Minister (Alpheus !Naruseb) and he said the issue must be resolved amicably.He said the Minister of Health (Richard Kamwi) must sit down with us,” Shopati said.Shopati said they informed Pohamba that they have given the Ministry of Health until June 30 to pay all outstanding overtime payments to the nurses or face a march to State House.The union leader said they turned to Pohamba after an appeal to the Office of the Prime Minister failed.”We wrote to the Prime Minister (Nahas Angula) on March 5 to meet with him on March 28 but we have had no response,” Shopati said.He said the union tried to solve the issue quietly but the Government was provoking them into an unwanted strike.”They are provoking a strike.It is really shameful to see high authorities provoking a strike to cause chaos so that they call us unpatriotic.Provoking situations don’t solve problems.However, we don’t want the public to be affected.We are dealing with lives and won’t do irresponsible things,” Shopati said.The dispute was started by differences over payment for work done on Sundays and public holidays.The Ministry of Health reduced the rate of payment for nurses on Sundays and public holidays by half from April 1 last year.Health Permanent Secretary Dr Kalumbi Shangula said earlier that it was done because there were various interpretations of the Labour Act, which had led to overpayment of nurses in the past.Nanu is adamant that the Labour Act says the rate must be double the normal hourly rate.However, before they engage Government on overtime payment, Nanu must be recognised and the Office of the Prime Minister has, so far, refused to talk to them because of the recognition agreement Government has with Napwu.The nurses’ union claims it represents the majority of nurses and wants to negotiate their work conditions instead of leaving it to Napwu.They have decided to take the Government to court over the recognition agreement.Yesterday, Shopati said their lawyers were still busy with the case.