Upper East health workers join calls for better conditions of service

The Upper East Health Service Workers Union (HSWU) of the Trade Union Congress has joined calls by their national leadership for the government to adhere to their pleas for better conditions of service.

The group is accusing the government of neglecting their concerns which include promotion arrears and salary distortions among others.

At a press conference in Bolgatanga on Monday, the Upper East Regional Principal Industrial Relations Officer of the Health Services Workers Union, Benedicta Azigeda asked the government to take urgent steps to resolve their concerns.

“We are all aware that the health sector is faced with numerous challenges in terms of working tools, equipment, etc. Health workers, in general, are exposed to numerous risks, yet we have been dedicated and committed in the discharge of our duties in a professional manner.”

“All letters, meetings, consultations of the Union with the government over the years was to collectively address our grievances to the government for redress and all have not been responded by our employer. We are saying that the government has taken the union for granted. Our employer has ignored us for far too long,” she stated.

This call by the health workers comes as a reiteration of calls by workers in various regions in the country.

In the Western Region, the Health Services Workers Union have resolved to join their leadership on an industrial action soon if government reneges on its obligation to address their salary distortions and discrimination against clinicians and non-clinicians amongst other concerns.

 

 

The Volta regional chapter of the Union has also threatened to go on a sit-down strike if their working conditions, including their market premiums which have remained static since 2012, are not reviewed.

The group says the failure of the government to automate their annual increases in pay at the Controller General’s department compels some members of the union to pay bribes at the department.

In July, nurses and other health personnel at the West Gonja Hospital at Damongo in the Savannah Region embarked on a sit down strike over what they say was management’s failure to come to the negotiation table over their allowances.

The nurses proposed that 10 percent of their basic salary be paid to them as monthly allowances but nothing was done in that regard.