Oshana Nurses Problem

FIVE nurses had their names removed from the duty rosters at their respective wards on Wednesday 28 March 2007 because they carried out union orders/activities.

These nurses failed to work half day (six hours – changed duty rosters) on March 21 2007, which was reportedly changed to allow nurses to go and enjoy Independence celebrations, leaving only three people to provide nursing care and working a full day (11 hours). They opted to work the initial shifts made by ward sisters as these duty rosters were more convenient to them and to the ward because they were made with consideration that all nursing care activities in the ward would be covered and nurses would not be exhausted.Following that, the person in charge of the Nursing Division, SCRN Lellie Nunes, decided to delete their names from the duty rosters, which left these nurses in the air as from the April 1 2007 without prior consultation, information or written letter to inform them of their ‘firing’.As an organiser of union activity in Oshana region, I was not informed that our members would be fired or names deleted, although I communicated to Nunes telephonically on March 16 and in a letter dated 19 March 2007 that her duty rosters were inconvenient and exhausting for the nurses.But she didn’t pay attention to that.Who gave her jurisdiction to fire employees? The Ministry is faced with a nursing crisis yet she is dismissing them – where will she find nurses to replace them? This is pure victimisation and threatening of workers because of union activities.As tension mounted, arrangements were made to meet with NBC for these nurses to air their concerns.However, she held an unscheduled meeting with some of these nurses, where she instructed them to write statements because they were under the supervision of Nanu when they worked the initial duty rosters, so that they could be reinstated on the duty rosters or at work, which is still intimidation.We will take actions if these people are not reinstated immediately, since they were fired or dismissed unprocedurally.E. Velikoshi Regional Coordinator Oshana NANUThey opted to work the initial shifts made by ward sisters as these duty rosters were more convenient to them and to the ward because they were made with consideration that all nursing care activities in the ward would be covered and nurses would not be exhausted.Following that, the person in charge of the Nursing Division, SCRN Lellie Nunes, decided to delete their names from the duty rosters, which left these nurses in the air as from the April 1 2007 without prior consultation, information or written letter to inform them of their ‘firing’.As an organiser of union activity in Oshana region, I was not informed that our members would be fired or names deleted, although I communicated to Nunes telephonically on March 16 and in a letter dated 19 March 2007 that her duty rosters were inconvenient and exhausting for the nurses.But she didn’t pay attention to that.Who gave her jurisdiction to fire employees? The Ministry is faced with a nursing crisis yet she is dismissing them – where will she find nurses to replace them? This is pure victimisation and threatening of workers because of union activities.As tension mounted, arrangements were made to meet with NBC for these nurses to air their concerns.However, she held an unscheduled meeting with some of these nurses, where she instructed them to write statements because they were under the supervision of Nanu when they worked the initial duty rosters, so that they could be reinstated on the duty rosters or at work, which is still intimidation.We will take actions if these people are not reinstated immediately, since they were fired or dismissed unprocedurally.E. Velikoshi Regional Coordinator Oshana NANU