Labour minister talks to striking Nurses in Lusaka

Labour and Social Security Minister Austin Liato says government is readdy to review allowances for nurses as long as they resume work to facilitate smooth negotiation.

Addressing striking nurses from various hospitals and clinics in Lusaka Province at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Liato said the negotiation process for improved allowances could only start if nurses resumed work. He said Government appreciated concerns expressed by nurses but urged them to resume work so that the unions and the bargaining teams can immediately commence negotiations for improved allowances in the health sector. He said according to the labour laws, the process of collective bargaining could not go ahead when workers had withdrawn labour.

“Your problems can only be solved when you go back to work. Government cannot negotiate when you are not working,” he said.

The minister said the Government acknowledged the important role the nurses played in the delivery of quality health care to the patients and the nation. He said he would inform the Government team set up to resolve the stand- off, on their proposals for an increase in various allowances. He said he would inform President Rupiah Banda on the demands by the workers in the health sector.

Nurses in Lusaka said they have accepted the 15 per cent salary increment awarded to all public service workers but have called for improved conditions of service, among them housing, overtime and uniform allowances.

Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba, his secretary general Roy Mwaba and Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation president Tom Yungana attended the meeting.

Hikaumba said on Sunday the union leaders met Health Minister, Kapembwa Simbao where it was resolved that K25 billion would soon be released to settle outstanding allowance arrears for health workers countrywide. He said that secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja had also made an undertaking on the need for the unions and the Government to conduct a review of housing allowances in the civil service. He said politicians should not take advantage of the sufferings of the civil servants in order to propagate their political agendas. He called for unity among workers and union leaders in their quest for improved conditions of service.

Mwaba said workers in the health sector were unique and required special attention as they dealt with matters of life and death. He said the ZCTU had given the Government a four- week ultimatum in which to resolve the issue of allowances in the health sector.

A representative for the nurses, Hammond Kapapa said nurses lacked adequate representation and that they were happy that a Cabinet minister had met them to hear their views. He said the issue of commuted overtime should be addressed, as at present, nurses were going home with K30, 000 per month as overtime. He said night duty allowance was pegged at K35,000 per month while uniform upkeep was at K35,000 per month.

Kapapa said the nurses would only resume work once the Government issued a written agreement that it would address their concerns within a specified period.

Striking nurses at Solwezi General Hospital in North-Western Province on June 22 demanded administrative issues, including tea breaks, heaters in the wards and doctors on call to sleep at the hospital.

And teachers in Northern Province have called off the strike in all the 12 districts.
Zambia National Union of Teachers provincial chairperson, Nondo Kasanda said the teachers had all resumed work.