Striking health workers boo Liato

Striking health workers boo Liato
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 5:05:50 PM

STRIKING health workers on Monday booed and heckled labour minister Austin Liato as he addressed them during a meeting at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) on the ongoing nationwide strikes.

And Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba said all political leaders should be taken to UTH when they fall ill so that they could use the same equipment that ordinary Zambians use.
Meanwhile, health minister Kapembwa Simbao said he did not attend the meeting because the issues at hand had to do with labour.

The health workers who had came from Chongwe, Kafue and Lusaka booed the minister and the union leaders as they entered the hall to address them.

The health workers had placards with some messages that read "Abash intimidation tactics", "Abash Siulapwa", "our problem is beyond a minister, we want RB".
Hikaumba began the meeting by saying that the matter that had brought them there was a serious one.

He gave a background of the history of the bargaining process from the launch of the Public Sector Reform Programme, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), the formation of the Central Board of Health and the double salaries some people were getting, the HIPC time, the wage freeze when workers were told to sacrifice and finally when the various workers were awarded 106 percent, 60 percent and 40 percent salary increments.

Hikaumba said government leaders might not take the grievances of the health workers seriously because they could travel out of the country for treatment.

"Let's insist even now, let us be all treated equally. No one especially political leaders should go out of the country for treatment. They should be brought here and treated, if they want good treatment, let them make UTH favourable to their expectations," he said.

He wondered what benefit it was for Zambia for leaders to fly abroad for treatment and land in the hands of Zambian doctors and nurses abroad.

Hikaumba said there was need to demand for improved conditions of service and improved facilities.

He urged the health workers to push ahead and not relent as nothing would come on a silver plate.

Hikaumba said workers had created problems themselves by having so many unions.
"We need to work together, we need to unite as workers, if we are not going to take advice, we shall give them ammunition. Let us not think if we come together, will I remain the president or secretary general," he said "Having gone through the negotiations, the 15 percent has turned out to be unacceptable. We need to restrategise but we can't do it if we don't work together."

He urged the health workers not to insult but call for a discussion as once they show disrespect; they were giving ammunition to the employers.
Hikaumba said as a result of the action, the Ministry of Health had released K25 billion to settle the outstanding arrears.

At this point, the nurses refused and booed Hikaumba.
Hikaumba said the workers had been complaining about housing allowances and there was no way anybody could find a house for K200, 000.

He challenged the government to revisit the issues of housing allowances and that the Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja had assured that unions and the government would start negotiating.

Hikaumba said he was disappointed with some members of parliament who approved a budget that could give civil servants a 14 percent increment at most.
He said the members of parliament kept quiet when it came to discussing civil servants salaries.

"I am yet to see an MP (member of parliament) who is going to say no. Those who want to gain cheap political mileage out of our suffering, we are saying no. we know what we want as workers and we will fight on our own," he said.

Hikaumba also demanded that the Ministry of Health provide transport from their homes to work.

He asked the health workers if their grievances were about salaries and they responded; "no! it's about allowances."

Hikaumba said they would not succumb to intimidation and did not want to hear that any health workers had received a letter of suspension.
He said he was ready to defend and protect anyone.

And the health workers booed Liato when he stood up to address them.
Liato who was booed and interrupted said the problem could not have been created in the nine months that President Banda had been in office.

"Whether you disagree or not, we have to be factual," he said as they booed him.
He said the issue of the housing allowance could be resolved but that the forum (UTH) was no place to negotiate for such.

Liato said no employer could bargain for conditions of service when the employees were on strike.

He said the health worker had driven their point and what was remaining now was to allow the due process to take effect.

Liato said he did not go to force the workers but to reason with them.
He said the matter would be treated with the urgency it deserved.
Liato asked the health workers to go back to work as they responded; "no!"
He said their problem could only be resolved when they go back to work.
Liato said the government respected their views and knew what service they were to the nation as the nurses responded "No you don't know."

And the nurse's representative Hammond Kapapa said the health workers were disappointed with the way the government had handled the situation to date.

Kapapa said some of the nurses had been in training for close to five years and it had taken 10 days to get an adequate platform to address their grievances.
He said this had been a failure by the government and the union to address their needs.

Kapapa said nurses worked more hours than any civil servants and yet they were not appreciated.

He said they were being insulted through the public media.

"We work 36 to 48 hours a week. We want the overtime allowanced addressed adequately, night duty, we work 14 hours a day on our feet for seven straight days yet, other people even government drivers get better. We are sacrificing our time and knowledge then we are given K35, 000," he said.

On risk allowance, Kapapa said the hospital was a risky area and there were signs everywhere that could be alluded to that.

He said health workers were exposed to all sorts or air and fluid diseases.
Kapapa said nurses who had been working for 25 years and had children in schools were getting the same salary of K1.3 million.
"How long are we going to wait? It had to take downing tools to be heard. Get it from these people sitting here," he said.

He said when the Zambia Nurses Union Organisation (ZUNO) president addressed them, they knew that the message had not be taken.

Kapapa said they had seen other people being given what they wanted.
He said the health workers wanted a formal written and signed agreement between the union and the government that they would meet their grievances.
Kapapa said they also wanted a time frame.

"We are ready to go back to work even today. This is what we have been protesting about, we do not want to become economic refugees. We are skilled and intensively trained and do our jobs very well," he said.

He said nurses were the cornerstone of the health workers. Kapapa said they would not be intimidated because they knew what they wanted. He said nurses wanted to work and did not want to take their problems from home to their patients.

And ZCTU secretary general Roy Mwaba said he agreed with the health workers who had been told in the past to wait. Mwaba asked the health workers to give the government four weeks but the health workers refused.

Liato said the government had heard their views and the message would be passed on.
He said he was going to tell President Banda the concerns of the nurses and urged them the go back to work.

But Kapapa said they would only go back to work once the written agreement was signed.

Liato assured the health workers that he would get back to them.
And in an interview after he toured UTH on Monday, Simbao said the agreement when he met Liato and ZCTU was that they go and address the health workers without him because the matter was to do with labour issues.

"Other wise I would have come, I have no problems with that," he said.
He said the hospital was quiet and that patients were there who were being attended to by trainee nurses.

Simbao said the doctors were working as well and one could look at it as manageable.

“But when you see that wards have been closed. Then you see that there is a very big problem. A lot of people who are sick cannot be attended to because of the depleted number of people. And that’s our concern as government because this is one area that buzzes with number. So it is a very difficult situation and hope that this must come to an end and let the sick people get the help that they need,” he said.

He said he was making a follow up as there were some areas that needed to be looked at again.

“Mr. Liato was here, it is his duty to address these issues because there are labour issues. When you get into nitty gritty issues, the principle minister must step in and that what I am here for,” he said.

He said after the meeting with the UTH management and the union leaders, they would discuss the way forward.
Simabo was also accompanied by health deputy minister Mwendoi Akakandelwa and health permanent secretary Dr Velepi Mtonga.