THE Ministry of Health has invited the Namibia Nurses’ Union (Nanu) to challenge the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) for the status of sole bargaining agent before approaching Government to negotiate conditions of service for its members.
Months after Nanu started campaigning on salary grievances, Health Permanent Secretary Dr Kalumbi Shangula told The Namibian on the sidelines of the SADC Health meeting at the end of last week that Nanu had no mandate to negotiate on behalf of its members. He said Government only recognised Napwu.Nurses fall under the public service and were thus represented by Napwu when it came to salary negotiations with the Government.Only teachers are represented separately by the Namibia National Teachers’ Union.Procedurally, Nanu must challenge Napwu for sole bargaining status, which would be determined through a ballot.Nanu told the media on Wednesday that they had had enough of Shangula’s refusal to meet them and gave him until November 24 to respond to their demands or face a national demonstration on December 6.Shangula feels that Nanu employed the wrong tactics.”They have gone down the unprofessional route.We can only talk to the recognised union about the conditions of service for nurses,” he said.Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati said the Ministry had stopped paying nurses overtime for work done on Sundays and public holidays.However, Shangula disputed the statement.He said nurses were receiving overtime payment, but only for part of their shifts on Sundays and public holidays.Shangula said the payment changed from April 1, but that the overtime system had been changed in 1998 already.He said nurses had been overpaid for many years because of varying interpretations of the Labour Act.The nurses claim that only they were affected by the change while other health workers still get paid according to the old system.They vowed not to stop with the fight until they get what they claimed was due to them.In terms of the ultimatum the nurses gave to the Ministry, it must meet them by November 24 or face a countrywide demonstration on December 6.He said Government only recognised Napwu.Nurses fall under the public service and were thus represented by Napwu when it came to salary negotiations with the Government.Only teachers are represented separately by the Namibia National Teachers’ Union.Procedurally, Nanu must challenge Napwu for sole bargaining status, which would be determined through a ballot.Nanu told the media on Wednesday that they had had enough of Shangula’s refusal to meet them and gave him until November 24 to respond to their demands or face a national demonstration on December 6.Shangula feels that Nanu employed the wrong tactics.”They have gone down the unprofessional route.We can only talk to the recognised union about the conditions of service for nurses,” he said.Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati said the Ministry had stopped paying nurses overtime for work done on Sundays and public holidays.However, Shangula disputed the statement.He said nurses were receiving overtime payment, but only for part of their shifts on Sundays and public holidays.Shangula said the payment changed from April 1, but that the overtime system had been changed in 1998 already.He said nurses had been overpaid for many years because of varying interpretations of the Labour Act.The nurses claim that only they were affected by the change while other health workers still get paid according to the old system.They vowed not to stop with the fight until they get what they claimed was due to them.In terms of the ultimatum the nurses gave to the Ministry, it must meet them by November 24 or face a countrywide demonstration on December 6.
