Nonga Base nurses join colleagues in sit-in protest

By ROSELYN ELLISON
NURSES working in the Nonga Base Hospital in Rabaul, East New Britain, have joined their colleagues from around the country in a sit-in protest which began on Monday over unpaid allowances.
Spokeswoman sister Sine Lemeki said the protest would continue until the Government dealt with their grievances.
“With our sisters in other provinces, we stand together as a union to (tell) the government to pay our outstanding awards,” she said.
Sr Lemeki said while nurses were demanding the 2021-2023 allowances, the 2011-2013 and 2016-2018 ones were still outstanding.
“If the Government pays the allowances, we will be happy to work despite the Coronavirus (Covid-19) surge because we know that our lives are being (covered by insurance),” she said. “One nurse has died and 12 have tested positive with the Covid-19. These are the risks. We need to be paid so that we can continue our work.”
Disease Control Unit manager Sr Martha Tarnong said they had been working for years without being paid their allowances.