City nurses plan mass withdrawal of services

By ALISON ANIS
MORE than 1,000 nursing officers are planning a mass withdrawal of services in the nation’s capital in a bid to encourage 3,000 other nurses across the country to follow suit if the National Department of Health fails to act on implementing the 2006 awards terms and conditions.
On Monday, 350 nursing officers from the Port Moresby General Hospital left their various posts and met with the Secretary of Health Dr Clement Malau, his two deputies, human resource director and industrial officers at the association grounds, where they made their intentions known.
“We want the department to immediately bring into effect service salary adjustments among other things under the proposed 2006 terms and conditions,” a nursing officer, who was at the scene, told The National yesterday.
He said nurses in NCD including the Laloki Mental Hospital had already been informed on the decision and were ready to walk off their jobs if nothing was done to immediately address the following:
l Rise from current 7% to 12% nursing services allowance;
l Qualification or certificate allowance of 5% on base salary;
l Housing allowance of K50; and
l Uniform allowance of current K7 increased to K10.
The officer, who did not want to be named, said they demanded that the Health Department also carry out annual staff evaluation and recommendations for salary increments.
The nursing staff set a 4.06pm deadline during their payday on Feb 26, for the Secretary and the department to respond and threatened to withdraw services if nothing happens.
The officer said the nurses had accused the human resource management of being slack and not standing up on their toes in implementing the decision to benefit the nurses.
“There were also complaints that community health workers in the hospital were getting better pay than qualified nurses.
As a result staff morale of nursing officers was really low in terms of output,” the officer added.
Dr Malau, when addressing the nurses at the meeting, assured them that he was there for them and was totally committed and would make sure the 2006 agreement comes into effect before Feb 26.