Nanu wants to represent nurses

THE Namibia Nurses’ Union says it is working on a proposal to revise nurses’ job grades after the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) allegedly failed to cater for their needs.

Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati told The Namibian that nurses mandated his union during their recent countrywide consultations to come up with a re-grading proposal to be submitted to the Ministry of Health. “Napwu doesn’t understand nursing.Nanu is led by nurses and is best suited to talk on their behalf,” Shopati said.Napwu is the main bargaining agent for civil servants other than teachers, Police and prison officers and soldiers, but Nanu claimed that the union kept information away from its members and in some instances negotiated on their behalf without consulting them.”Information was kept secret that Napwu negotiated with Government for salary re-grading for accountants, personnel officers and their assistants.Nurses feel they are cheated and sold out,” Shopati claimed.He said medical doctors have been re-graded since the Wages and Salary Commission (Wascom) report was tabled but nurses were ignored.”That is why the nurses feel that Nanu must engage the Ministry of Health in discussions about their future.We cannot overlook the fact that the lives of others are secretly uplifted,” Shopati said.He said most nurses were Nanu members and the union would approach Government to act on their behalf.”If the Ministry of Health or the Government refuses to talk to us, we will go to their offices in mass numbers.A mass demo will be organised.We only need to pick up the phone and the nurses will be demonstrating.They had enough,” Shopati said.He said Nanu hoped that a demo would not be necessary and appealed to the Government to listen when approached with the re-grading proposal.”If any situation gets out of hand, we cannot be held responsible.We are a responsible union but that does not mean we cannot get what we deserve,” Shopati said.A senior unionist at Napwu denied allegations that the union had neglected nurses but said Nanu was free to challenge it as the bargaining agent for nurses.Napwu defeated the Public Service Union of Namibia in a poll conducted among civil servants to get recognition as the sole bargaining agent.Nanu was established by unhappy nurses who argued that Napwu had failed to act in their interest.”Napwu doesn’t understand nursing.Nanu is led by nurses and is best suited to talk on their behalf,” Shopati said.Napwu is the main bargaining agent for civil servants other than teachers, Police and prison officers and soldiers, but Nanu claimed that the union kept information away from its members and in some instances negotiated on their behalf without consulting them.”Information was kept secret that Napwu negotiated with Government for salary re-grading for accountants, personnel officers and their assistants.Nurses feel they are cheated and sold out,” Shopati claimed.He said medical doctors have been re-graded since the Wages and Salary Commission (Wascom) report was tabled but nurses were ignored.”That is why the nurses feel that Nanu must engage the Ministry of Health in discussions about their future.We cannot overlook the fact that the lives of others are secretly uplifted,” Shopati said.He said most nurses were Nanu members and the union would approach Government to act on their behalf.”If the Ministry of Health or the Government refuses to talk to us, we will go to their offices in mass numbers.A mass demo will be organised.We only need to pick up the phone and the nurses will be demonstrating.They had enough,” Shopati said.He said Nanu hoped that a demo would not be necessary and appealed to the Government to listen when approached with the re-grading proposal.”If any situation gets out of hand, we cannot be held responsible.We are a responsible union but that does not mean we cannot get what we deserve,” Shopati said.A senior unionist at Napwu denied allegations that the union had neglected nurses but said Nanu was free to challenge it as the bargaining agent for nurses.Napwu defeated the Public Service Union of Namibia in a poll conducted among civil servants to get recognition as the sole bargaining agent.Nanu was established by unhappy nurses who argued that Napwu had failed to act in their interest.