GRNMA temporarily suspends strike action pending further negotiations

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) will, from 0800 hours Thursday, September 24, begin full work pending the outcome of further negotiations.

Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, the National President of the GRNMA, announced the suspension of the strike action at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, following the Interlocutory Injunction by the National Labour Commission (NLC), which was officially served on the Association’s Head Office Administrator by a court bailiff on Tuesday, September 22, 2020.

She said in the face of the injunction and the respect for the courts coupled with its innate passion to serve its patients and clients and for the better good of Ghanaians, the Association had decided to suspend the strike action.

She, however, said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to indicate that the strike action is merely suspended and our gallant nurses, midwives, Physician Assistants and Certified Registered Anaesthetists are to begin full work on Thursday, 24th September, 2020 at 8:00am with the morning shift.”

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo commended the entire membership of the Association and its allies for the unity and massive support exhibited during the period.

She said the leadership was called to a meeting on Wednesday with the National Labour Commission (NLC) and pledged that leadership would not fail them, urging the entire membership to keep faith with it.

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo, however, said while going back to the negotiation table, the Association would like to urge their Employers, the Ministry of Health and its agencies, especially the Directors of Christian Health Association of Ghana and management of some Ghana Health Service facilities, to halt all forms of intimidation tactics towards members of the Association.

The GRNMA, she said, would not tolerate any form of intimidation or victimization from employers, agents or representatives in any facility.

“We want them to note that an attack on any nurse, midwife, Physician Assistant or Certified Registered Anaesthetist at any facility anywhere in the country is an attack on the entire fraternity in Ghana, and if that comes to our notice we shall deliver the appropriate response,” Mrs Ofori-Ampofo said.

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo said even the attempt by the Employer and the National Labour Commission to incite the courts against the Association with regards to citing of contempt and subsequently arresting her and the leadership amounted to gross intimidation, which was a sad situation knowing that they had not been properly served with the court order.

She insisted that although members of the Association belonged to varied political parties they understood clearly that when it came to conditions of service it had nothing to do with politics.

She used the opportunity to apologise to all patients and clients who had suffered in one way or the other because of the strike action, and pleaded with them to understand that it was never their intention to put them in that situation.

She said if care givers were not happy with their conditions of service it would be impossible for them to render to quality services to clients.

The GRNMA and its allied associations, including the Ghana Physician Assistants Association and Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists, withdrew their services on Monday, September 21, 2020, as part of their demands for improved conditions of service.

Their strike action was carried out despite an interim injunction secured by the NLC to restrain them from implementing their plan.