Unions suspend healthcare worker strike following negotiations with Health dept
Representatives of trade unions affiliated to the Limpopo health sector met with the Department of Health on Friday, 5 March who agreed to temporarily suspend the new roster system.
LIMPOPO – The Provincial Secretary of National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), Jacob Adams on Friday, 5 March confirmed to Review that the planned strike action, that was supposed to take place on Monday, 8 March has been put on hold after the department agreed to suspend the circulars.
Unions are disgruntled by the circulars issued by the department which, according to them, unilaterally change the conditions of service without proper consultation with organised labour, thus violating the Labour Relations Act. Under the new system, workers will have 12-hour shifts, three times a week and a 7-hour shift once a week, while no roster should be designated night or day shift.
After continuous meetings from 2 to 5 March, the outcome is that the circular 45 of 2020 and circular 4 of 2021 be suspended for two weeks pending consultations with organised labour. For that duration, the strike is put off to give the consultations a chance, says Adams. He added that organised labour will meet with the department on 19 March for further consultations.
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The bone of contention for the unions was the release of circular 45 of 2020 and circular 4 of 2021 which changed the working hours of workers without prior consultations. They called for the department to withdraw the circulars or face a strike by healthcare workers across the province.
At the time, the HOD of the Health department, Thokozani Mhlongo said that should the strike continue it would be unprotected however, the unions produced a certificate permitting them to go ahead with the strike signed by the commissioner of the bargaining council.
