Nurses to get conciliation board

LABOUR Commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja has requested the leadership of the Namibia Nurses’ Union (Nanu) to make a written request for a conciliation board before they opt for taking Government to court.

Shinguadja told Nanu that his office was willing to appoint a conciliation board to hear the nurses’ grievances and the response from the Ministry of Health over a payment dispute for work done on Sundays and public holidays. Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati said they would follow the normal procedures in applying for a conciliation board before deciding what steps to take next.If the dispute is not settled at conciliation board level, Nanu members will decide whether to turn to the High Court or opt for a national strike, Shopati said.Nanu declared a dispute with Government after the Ministry of Health refused to reintroduce the old rates of payment for work done on Sundays and public holidays.The Ministry of Health reduced the pay rate by half from April 1 this year.Health Permanent Secretary dr Kalumbi Shangula said earlier that it was done because there were various interpretations of the Labour Act which had led to overpayment of nurses in the past.”However, Government introduced a new system that is being used by the Ministry of Finance.We no longer do calculations manually and many people are unhappy because they used to get overpaid,” Shangula said.Nanu claims that the Labour Act says the rate must be double the normal hourly rate and the union received a legal opinion on the matter.Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati said they would follow the normal procedures in applying for a conciliation board before deciding what steps to take next.If the dispute is not settled at conciliation board level, Nanu members will decide whether to turn to the High Court or opt for a national strike, Shopati said.Nanu declared a dispute with Government after the Ministry of Health refused to reintroduce the old rates of payment for work done on Sundays and public holidays.The Ministry of Health reduced the pay rate by half from April 1 this year.Health Permanent Secretary dr Kalumbi Shangula said earlier that it was done because there were various interpretations of the Labour Act which had led to overpayment of nurses in the past.”However, Government introduced a new system that is being used by the Ministry of Finance.We no longer do calculations manually and many people are unhappy because they used to get overpaid,” Shangula said.Nanu claims that the Labour Act says the rate must be double the normal hourly rate and the union received a legal opinion on the matter.