Unpaid nurses call off strike

The Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives has issued a directive to all striking nurses to resume work as they engage with authorities to address their grievances.

National Coordinator of the Coalition, Douglas Adu-Fokuo, who spoke to ClassFMonline.com on Wednesday February 10 indicated that the action was necessitated by post-strike appeals from senior nurses and doctors for them to reconsider their position due to the life-threatening conditions that patients underwent in their absence.

“There have been so many calls that the nurse to patient ratio has worsened and lives are being endangered, so, senior nurses and our own administration said we should resume work.”

Mr Adu-Fokuo also indicated that authorities had assured the group that their arrears and salary issues would be addressed by the end of February.

He entreated authorities to hasten processes so that stranded nurses will have their remuneration disbursed as soon as possible.

The nurses, numbering over six thousand, began an indefinite strike Wednesday February 3 over government’s refusal to pay their salary arrears.

Below is the full statement of the coalition announcing the suspension of the strike:

COALITION OF UNPAID NURSES AND MIDWIVES

PRESS RELEASE: STRIKE ACTION- CALLED OFF

Members of the Press

Good people of Ghana

As you have all been witnessing, Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives (comprising of over 7,000 nurses and Midwives who have issues with their salaries and arrears; both new entrants and promotional arrears) across the country have embarked on strike for a week now.

In 2015, The leadership of the COALITION was "PROMISED" by the Ministry Of Employment and Labour , Ministry Of Health and "assured with much hope" by our mother association, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives' Association (GRNMA) that our salaries and outstanding arrears will be paid latest October 2015.

Today is 10th February 2016 and it may interest the public that this promise was "not fulfilled"

Our strike has affected the health of this nation negatively.

So many calls have been made by our mother association, GRNMA, Directors of Nursing, Nurse Managers, Senior Colleagues in the most noble profession and other health stakeholders. Others were in tears on phone as they express how our strike has exerted pressure on them, endangering innocent lives at the various health facilities.

The leadership of the COALITION toured some health facilities and we felt sad for such inconveniences, but the blame "must" be directed to our: employer; for not ensuring we are been paid duly within 6 months as enshrined in the labour act, the Human Resource Directors; for delaying submission of documents leading to expired financial clearance, others requesting for money and the likes before they work on our documents, the MOH IPPD and controller; for creating much "errors"(technical or deliberate) leading to so many anomalies in the arrears payment and first 3 months payment, Finance Ministry; for always introducing new forms to be filled for our monies, yet nothing happens and also not releasing much financial clearance fully to clear monies owed, Government; for the introduction of this "3 months payment directive" which has led to strikes resulting from frustrations and stress, and failure to provide the MOH IPPD a SERVER to ensure unlimited period for "keying in" to make more entries and resolve anomalies in salary payment at any time, as it happens at the Ministry of Education.

It has come to our notice that some HRs are refusing to fill this template forms and submit , others are requesting for official notice from MOH before they perform such duty. Hence the COALITION pleads MOH and regional HRs to communicate effectively to all facility HRs to that effect.

We also put it on record that the "Finance Ministry" has not been fair to us at all. The Finance Ministry is traumatising us psychologically but if we consider the unfair treatment from this ministry, so many lives will be lost.

Reason being that some HRs are refusing to fill the templates because Ministry Of Finance gave them a "list containing only some few names" and according to our source, only names in that list must be allowed to fill the templates.

We, therefore, ask "Ministry Of Finance" to be PASSIONATE and revert such directive to ensure we are all being paid duly. This delay tactics in payment may be "chaotic". We strongly believe "Ministry Of Finance" is the MAIN cause of our sufferings.

The question the COALITION members are asking is that, if Ministry Of Finance is able to secure fund for other Ministries to do things of less priority why can't this same Ministry Of Finance secure fund for Ministry Of Health to pay all nurses and midwives the monies government is owing?

Is it fair to use monies for other things of less priority while you owe nurses and midwives their salaries and arrears?

God is the best JUDGE

In this regard, and in consideration of the fact that innocent lives are endangered and so many calls are made to call off our strike, the COALITION hereby declare "officially" resumption of duty by all striking nurses and midwives effective Thursday 11 February 2016.

This is however to be considered as a retreat in a purposeful strike action and not an end to all issues. Our resumption is not based on promises by authorities because the COALITION has lost "trust" in authorities.

The COALITION shall take an "unpleasant" action if detected disparities in the payment of the deferred and withheld salaries of our affected members are not addressed with immediate effect. We also call on the employer to attend to all outstanding issues of salary (both new entrants and promotional arrears).

The COALITION renders appreciation to the striking Nurses and Midwives for their commitment, cooperation and tolerance as they endured the undesirable pain and anxiety of such ill treatment and also for showing respect for the leadership of their COALITION and GRNMA.

We express our gratitude to our mother association, GRNMA for calling on us to spearhead our course.

We thank you also the members of the Press for your great demonstration of professional excellence in communication.

LONG LIVE NURSES AND MIDWIVES!

LONG LIVE GHANA!

Signed by

National Coordinators

Douglas Adu-Fokuo

Solomon Ajao

All Regional Coordinators