under a tree shade.
VICE President Guy Scott has said Government is negotiating with the Zambia Union of Nurses and others to resolve the work stoppage by nurses at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.
Dr Scott said during Parliamentary proceedings in Lusaka yesterday that Government was working round the clock to address the current impasse leading to nurses withdrawing labour at the UTH.
“We are currently talking with about 12 unions concerning the issue and it will be addressed as soon as possible. Most of the nurses are reporting for work and only a few have gone on go-slow,” Dr Scott
said.
And the Zambia Union of Nurses (ZUNO) has appealed to the nurses to resume work as their grievances were being looked into.
ZUNO president Tom Yungano said the nurses had expressed discontent at the narrowing of the gap between their salaries and that of their juniors who had received a substantial salary increment.
He said some nurses claimed that their payslips had anomalies as new allowances announced last month were not reflecting.
He said his Union had since approached Government to address the issue in view of the recent increment adding that the matter would be tabled when talks for new salaries and conditions of service commenced in November this year.
“We can only appeal to the nurses to resume work because all their issues are being looked into, the major issues were the 21 percent collective increase, some got less and Government has finally agreed to rectify the anomalies in the September salaries so one can claim that they will get less than 21. They are also not happy that the gap between themselves and maids or cleaners who have gotten a huge increment because they believe they (nurses) are trained professionals,” Mr Yungano said.
And Government released the press statement yesterday appealing for nurses to go back to work
PRESS STATEMENT BY PERMANENT SECRETARY, PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGEMENT DIVISION, DR. VELEPI C. MTONGA, ON THE PROTEST BY HEALTH WORKERS IN SOME HEALTH INSTITUTIONS
Friday 4th October 2013
Government has noted with regret the ongoing protest by nurses and midwives in Lusaka. We note that the protests relate to anomalies in the implementation of the revised salaries especially Salary Grade F and G.
I wish to inform the nation that Government is addressing all genuine anomalies and affected workers shall be paid correctly in the month of October, 2013 but effective 1st September, 2013 as per 2013 Collective Agreements.
It is therefore imperative that all protests are called off immediately following today’s meeting held between Government and the health sector unions.
Further we wish to assure that all the genuine anomalies relating to the new salary grades will be rectified immediately and will be paid in October 2013.
In March 2013, Government and the Public Service Unions in the Health Sector signed Collective Agreements for 2013 Negotiations for improved Salaries and Conditions of Service and agreed on the following:-
a. that the revised salaries be based on the Evaluation and Re-grading Exercise;
b. that the lowest salary increase for Health Employees be at the rate of 4 percent;
c. that Health Personnel shift differential Allowance be introduced and paid to all Nurses, Paramedics and Midwives who were formerly in Medical Scales (MS) at the rate of 15 percent of the basic salary; and
d. That commuted Night duty allowance paid to eligible Health employees be increased from 5 to 7 percent of basic salary.
Government implemented the 2013 Collective Agreements with effect from 1st September, 2013.
Government therefore wishes to appeal to the affected workers to resume work as the anomalies are being addressed.
Dr Velepi Mtonga
Permanent Secretary
PUBLIC Service Management Division
They better be.
How can a nurse and a general cleaner get the same salary?
without a general worker, a nurse can not work properly. The system want to close the gap that existed before. salaries should be based on performance. Nurses, some play while at work. give them peanuts. if they refuse to resume work, retire them in national interest. we have no time to negotiate for we want service delivery. increments are already there.
“They are also not happy that the gap between themselves and maids or cleaners who have gotten a huge increment because they believe they (nurses) are trained professionals,” Mr Yungano said. Wow !
is it a belief or its a reality that we are educated, nawishiba wilatukalifya imitima if you dnt have anything to say. We are far much educated than the maids and stil getting miles away from them interms of education, you better know how to express yoself or may be you need to go through certain lessons. My self i got k6 basic salary increament so what percentage is that mr zuno president, baneni stop cutting membership fee from our payslips. Nurses lets work together we need a new president not somebody who compares the educated with uneducated maids (grade ones and twos who doesnt even know how to write and read). Its a very big shame
so Yungana does believe that Nurses are trained profesionals for him to say”They are also not happy that the gap between themselves and maids or cleaners who have gotten a huge increment because they believe they (nurses) are trained professionals,”
The narrowing in gap btn professional and general workers is not just in the MoH but throughout the government. Imagine a diploma holder and certificate holder in the MoE, getting the same salary. This government has completely diregarded the value of education interms of remuneration. This will not help in encouraging people to further their education
Unions should not only exist to be negotiating for increased salaries. Already ZUNO Presido is talking about new negotiations this coming November. We waited for these salaries the whole year and again new nego…….MALABISHI.
They believe they (nurses) are trained professionals,” Mr Yungano said. This man is forgetting that he is a nurse also. He has grown big headed, im sure he thinks he is an equal to president SATA. Why should you compare the nurses salary to that of the cleaner and not compare the nurses salary to that of a doctor. Cleaner KR3100, NURSE KR3400, DOCTOR KR17000. This is absolute nonsense and the major problem is this Yungano. How can he sign for this nonsense. Change in the ZUNO leadership is inevitable.
But yungana sibola! Ma how dare you disgrace us like this! Tukamona
Greediness at play here, up to now I find it difficult to understand why nurses are crying just because the gap in terms of salary has narrowed between them and that of cleaners or guards (CDEs) all in the name of professional qualification. Not all CDEs chose to be so, and as far as am concerned every employee in the organization is as important as everyone and deserves a good salary. But I have a question, What will happen if nurses will be awarded lets say 50% increment and then the CDEs are awarded 48%? what will be the reaction from them(nurses)?
Can someone who is in the know please educate us how these anomalies came about? Zuno president knew about this and kept quite until nurses reacted? This man must go at all costs he is a disgrace to the nursing profession even if he did a law course!
Are all categories of nurses affected ie enrolled nurse, RN, RM, nursing sister, nursing officer and nurse and midwifery tutors?
Am aware nurse tutors and lecturers have Bachelors degrees and Masters degrees. Did they also get salaries similar to doctors with a first degree? Someone kindly enlighten me.
My dear nurses much as we appreciate that you need money but i have some concerns for you. Will the increment change our attitude towards work as nurses? Excuses, permissions, reporting late for work, spending most of the time chatting and picking calls. Why should people dance when their fellow Zambians are in pain and others losing life.The Government will pay you in October , the question is what happens to those people you have sent to the grave? WHATEVER THE SITUATION ZAMBIA WILL ONE DAY BE A GREAT COUNTRY we work for our own people not the Government
Dr kasonde and the UTH management should instil discipline among some nurses who abuse the right to belong to a union. The work stoppage is an act of selfish and competitive mentality.
The management and Dr kasonde please transfer the indiscipline nurses to rural areas where the Govt. will pay them HARDSHIP ALLOWANCES if they need more money than what can be offered to them.
Kasonde stop the indiscipline by nurses at UTH. act like the president when he was the minister of health he brought changes that can be seen today.
Ba Kalaki muliMBWA MWECHIPUBA. Do u know the shortage at UTH?