We’re not regarded as essential workers – Striking Nurses

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association has accused government of not regarding them as essential service workers.

According to the group, if government respected them as essential workers, their issues regarding improved conditions of service would have been addressed within the shortest possible time.

Nurses and midwives around the country embarked on a strike Monday, September 21, 2020.

The situation has taken a toll on healthcare delivery in the country as patients in government run health facilities are left unattended to, with some doctors and NABCO trainees having to take up roles as nurses.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service has appealed to striking nurses to call off their strike and return to work to help in the fight against COVID-19.

But speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday PRO for the group Joseph Krampah said government has taken an entrenched position and was not willing to compromise.

He said “if you respect us as essential service providers then you don’t take an entrenched position because of the fact that if you are sitting on the table to negotiate the law asked you not to go on strike, and then we take that position and you call us and we come back all the time. We have suffered through so many governments up till now. It is time to speak up.”

He went on “when you are negotiating with somebody, it is not that whatever thing you will present is what must be agreed to. But if your employer takes a stance like he doesn’t want to compromise with some of the things we have tabled, then it means you are not being fair to us and you aren’t treating us as essential workers.”

“If government sees us as essential service providers, if there is any deadlock, they need to solve it within the shortest possible time.”

He added “we say the employer doesn’t regard or respect us as essential service providers. Because why must it take five years for it to be addressed? We’ve kept our silence for some time and it’s time to speak up. Our coming back to post depends on what happens with the Labour Commission.”