Nurses’ union ready to go to court

THE Namibia Nurses’ Union says it is now ready to challenge the recognition agreement between the Government and the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu).

Nanu wants to represent nurses and wants them out of the agreement under which Napwu represents all civil servants except teachers, police officers and soldiers. Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati told The Namibian yesterday that their lawyers have now finalised documents related to the challenge of the agreement and that it would be filed with the Labour Court.”Everyone knows we have a very good case and by next week the papers will be served on all parties concerned,” Shopati said.He said Nanu would take up nurses’ concerns about overtime payment once the union was recognised by Government.Before this, nurses have to vote on which union, Nanu or Napwu, they want to represent them.Nanu decided to take the court route after both the Labour Commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja and the Office of the Prime Minister advised them to do so.They were told that the recognition agreement between the Government and Napwu cannot be altered unless declared null and void by the Labour Court.The nurses had the option of a strike but Shopati said they preferred to go the legal route.The dispute was started by differences over payment for work done on Sundays and public holidays.The Nanu leadership decided to take Government to court following nationwide consultations with nurses on whether they should proceed with the action.The Ministry of Health reduced the rate of payment for nurses on Sundays and public holidays by half from April 1 last 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 is adamant that the Labour Act says the rate must be double the normal hourly rate.However, before they engage Government on overtime payment, Nanu must be recognised and the Office of the Prime Minister has, so far, refused to talk to them because of the recognition agreement they have with Napwu.The nurses’ union claims it represents the majority of nurses and wants to negotiate their work conditions instead of leaving it to Napwu.Nanu Secretary General Abner Shopati told The Namibian yesterday that their lawyers have now finalised documents related to the challenge of the agreement and that it would be filed with the Labour Court.”Everyone knows we have a very good case and by next week the papers will be served on all parties concerned,” Shopati said.He said Nanu would take up nurses’ concerns about overtime payment once the union was recognised by Government.Before this, nurses have to vote on which union, Nanu or Napwu, they want to represent them.Nanu decided to take the court route after both the Labour Commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja and the Office of the Prime Minister advised them to do so. They were told that the recognition agreement between the Government and Napwu cannot be altered unless declared null and void by the Labour Court.The nurses had the option of a strike but Shopati said they preferred to go the legal route.The dispute was started by differences over payment for work done on Sundays and public holidays.The Nanu leadership decided to take Government to court following nationwide consultations with nurses on whether they should proceed with the action.The Ministry of Health reduced the rate of payment for nurses on Sundays and public holidays by half from April 1 last 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 is adamant that the Labour Act says the rate must be double the normal hourly rate.However, before they engage Government on overtime payment, Nanu must be recognised and the Office of the Prime Minister has, so far, refused to talk to them because of the recognition agreement they have with Napwu.The nurses’ union claims it represents the majority of nurses and wants to negotiate their work conditions instead of leaving it to Napwu.