7,000 nurses, midwives threaten to strike over unpaid salaries

About 7,000 nurses and midwives who have not been paid their full salaries and other benefits in the last three years have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if government fails to settle all arrears by January 31, 2016.

The nurses and midwives who form the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives, say efforts to get the government to pay them all their outstanding salaries and benefits have not yielded any results

A statement issued Wednesday by the group said they have remained calm and rendered their services all these years due to discussions, promises and reassurances from the government, but was surprised to hear a claim from the government that all their arrears have been paid.

The group described the said claim as "a hoax which makes us doubt if the current system is not endorsing double standards with respect to justice administration".

The Coalition said its members who have been paid are "not more than thirty percent" and that "most of them were not paid fully".

"We are convinced enough that the government has not addressed our salaries and arrears issues with the necessary attention," they stated.

The coalition said it has been left with no better alternative than to strike "if every single dime is not paid to our bank accounts by January 31st 2016".