Nanu seeks support to take Govt to court

THE Namibia Nurses’ Union (Nanu), in its continued efforts to get support to take Government to court over a decision to cut their payment in half for work done on Sundays and public holidays, has so far visited ten hospitals countrywide.

Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati said yesterday the union had visited hospitals in Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Khorixas, Outjo, Windhoek, Onandjokwe, Eenhana, Engela, Okahao and Oshakati and the plan was receiving overwhelming support. “All the union members are supporting the idea of taking the Government to court.All nurses I have spoken to so far, have many problems in their work and something has to be done to rescue them from this heavy job,” Shopati said, adding that the nurses feel they had been cheated on this matter.He said there were only some aspects that still needed to be sorted out before the case could be taken to court and these would be dealt with after the consultations were done.Oshakati nurses who attended the meeting told Shopati and his delegation that conditions at the Oshakati State Hospital were very bad.They said the hospital has had no medical superintendent since Dr Korbinian Viscaya Amutenya left to become the personal physician of President Hifikepunye Pohamba.The nurses complained that nobody knew who the current boss of the hospital was, resulting in the Director of Health for the Oshana Region, Dr Naftali Hamata, sometimes acting as hospital superintendent.”We have talked and talked with the hospital management about the cutting of our Sunday and public holiday payments, but nothing has come of it, so let this go to court, let us challenge the Ministry of Health and Social Services’ decision,” one nurse said.Shopati said the union had obtained a legal opinion because the Labour Act says the Sunday pay rate must be double the normal hourly rate.He said nurses had wanted to take to the streets immediately but, because Nanu was a responsible union, he had decided to travel countrywide to consult all members before a final decision was made.He told The Namibian that he would next visit hospitals in the Caprivi and Kavango regions before moving on to Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Hardap and Karas.”All the union members are supporting the idea of taking the Government to court.All nurses I have spoken to so far, have many problems in their work and something has to be done to rescue them from this heavy job,” Shopati said, adding that the nurses feel they had been cheated on this matter.He said there were only some aspects that still needed to be sorted out before the case could be taken to court and these would be dealt with after the consultations were done.Oshakati nurses who attended the meeting told Shopati and his delegation that conditions at the Oshakati State Hospital were very bad.They said the hospital has had no medical superintendent since Dr Korbinian Viscaya Amutenya left to become the personal physician of President Hifikepunye Pohamba.The nurses complained that nobody knew who the current boss of the hospital was, resulting in the Director of Health for the Oshana Region, Dr Naftali Hamata, sometimes acting as hospital superintendent.”We have talked and talked with the hospital management about the cutting of our Sunday and public holiday payments, but nothing has come of it, so let this go to court, let us challenge the Ministry of Health and Social Services’ decision,” one nurse said.Shopati said the union had obtained a legal opinion because the Labour Act says the Sunday pay rate must be double the normal hourly rate.He said nurses had wanted to take to the streets immediately but, because Nanu was a responsible union, he had decided to travel countrywide to consult all members before a final decision was made.He told The Namibian that he would next visit hospitals in the Caprivi and Kavango regions before moving on to Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Hardap and Karas.