Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health says it has noted the picketing by employees believed to be members of the Public Service Association (PSA) outside Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in KwaMashu on Monday.
The PSA had issues involving staff working longer hours without a break.
The members handed their memorandum with grievances to Mandla Shabangu, the deputy director of labour relations. Shabangu was standing in for the health HOD Dr Sandile Tshabalala.
The provincial manager of the PSA in KwaZulu-Natal, Mlungisi Ndlovu, said they had given hospital management 10 days to respond to their grievances.
Ndlovu said the CEO and HR manager of the hospital refused to accept their request to have bilateral meetings to deal with outstanding issues.
“They both continue to intimidate the shop stewards through unpaid leave. In theatre alone more than 10 nurses and specialists have resigned due to the arrogance of management who ill-treat most of our members,” he said.
Ndlovu said there was one matron at the hospital who refused to let workers take their lunch breaks. The matron ill-treats workers, he claimed, and said most of them want to quit.
The memorandum of grievances stated:
• Management must immediately fill all budgeted positions, particularly in the theatre and other important positions, within 30 working days.
• Theatre staff must immediately be allowed to take their lunch break – they worked for seven hours without eating or taking a lunch break – in line with section 14 of the BECA. Management contravened the above section, and we call on the Department of Labour to monitor this complaint.
• Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital staff are working in fear due to community demands that only people from KwaMashu should be appointed. We call on management and government representatives to address the unemployment rate and ensure that more opportunities are created for local communities, and to protect our members who work at Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital and other government facilities.
• They demand a danger allowance for security officers and staff working in mental wards, due to nurses being attacked by patients and other risks.
• They further demand the removal of the matron from the theatre, who abused her position to target shop stewards through leave without pay, forcing staff to work for more than seven hours without a break, lack of staff training, and lack of productive communication between nurses, doctors.
• No medical check-ups were done during the on-boarding process. This must be done with immediate effect.
Department of Health spokesperson Ntokozo Maphisa said the picketing did not hinder hospital operations.
“Soon after the union representatives presented their memorandum of grievances, employees went back to their posts on time and began to work. The department has also noted the memorandum and will respond in due course on the issues raised,” he said.
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Daily News