Nursing groups, health ministry to continue talks over retroactive pay

 

By Racquel Porter    

 

The Ministry of Health will again meet on Wednesday with representatives of three public sector groups representing nurses and midwives, who have been restive since last week over the non-payment of retroactive salaries and allowances.

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton met with the health workers at the headquarters of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) on Monday. 

 

Claudette Clarke-Waugh, President of the Jamaica Enrolled Nurses Association, declared after the meeting with the minister and Permanent Secretary Errol Greene that "Effective tomorrow, we will be back in black."

 

Mrs. Clarke-Waugh said nurses who had been wearing black since last Wednesday to demonstrate their grievances, wore their uniforms on Monday.

 

She said not much was achieved in terms of confirmation whether the outstanding sums will be paid by March 31. 

 

"We have stated our concerns to the minister and therefore he will be having a meeting with the regional directors tomorrow. And then Wednesday we are told that he will be having a meeting with the persons at the Ministry of Finance, and this meeting would incorporate the regional directors also. So we await his response on that."

 

Mrs. Clarke-Waugh said she is hoping that after Wednesday's meeting, the nurses will be left smiling. 

 

"We're not expecting anything less, however, if we are not able, if we are not satisfied with the response, then we will now have to meet with our members and decide the way forward," she noted. 

 

President of the Midwives Association Sharon Banbury Edwards said Dr. Tufton was not aware of some of the issues raised during the meeting. But she, too, is hoping the issues will be resolved sooner than later.

 

Speaking ahead of Monday morning's meeting, former president of the NAJ Patsy Edwards-Henry said nurses intend to continue wearing black until an agreement is reached on the outstanding payments. 

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Tufton was optimistic that after Wednesday's meeting there will be greater clarity and the issues raised will be resolved. 

 

"The key to all of this is just to communicate and to ensure that there is transparency over the process. Some of the issues are linked to the regional authorities and what they need to do based on some instructions that they have been given. Other issues may be a matter of just how the process has evolved. I think the best way forward is just talk about it, talk about it and get a common understanding and then address it one way or the other," said the minister.