Nurses seek 25pc increase

THE Papua New Guinea Nurses Association (PNGNA) has called on the Eastern Highlands Health Authority (EHPHA) to address their members’ concerns including an increase of 25 per cent in their shift allowance.
The PNGNA, in a press conference, stated that nurses in Eastern Highlands would take strike action if the PHA board did not address their claims for an increase in shift allowances and special domestic market allowance (SDMA).
The other issue the nurses wanted resolved was the director of nursing services position. “We call on the management of Eastern Highlands health authority to work on the nurses awards,” PNGNA national president Fredrick Kebai said.
“We don’t want our nurses to go on strike.”
According to the PNGNA branch in Eastern Highlands, the nurses concerns were not supported by the management.
Kebai said because of a lack of a response from the EHPHA, the nurses had no choice but to force the issue with the threat of strike action.
“We have exhausted all administrative and union industrial options to get the management to address their issues.”
Kebai said the main issues were the 25 per cent increase in the shift allowance, the special domestic market allowance and a resolution on the position of the director of nursing services.
He said the nurses petitioned for the EHPHA to implement the 25 per cent increase before the end of the month and to backdate the difference to 2014 before the end of the year. They also called for the SMDA to be paid as approved and for establishment of a director of nursing position in the EHPHA management.
A letter, stating that a sit-in protest would be taken, was presented to the EHPHA board on July 2 and if no action was taken in 14 working days, nurses in the province would go on strike on July 19.
Kebai said nurses associations in other provinces like East Sepik and East New Britain were also facing similar problems.