Nurses issue 28-day strike notice
The Out-patient at the National Referral Hospital
A 28-day national strike notice issued to the government by the Solomon Islands Nurses Association is effective as of today.
Solomon Islands Nurses Association, SINA, issued the notice to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the Ministry of Public Service a week ago.
SINA National Secretary, Steve Maitani explained, the national strike notice was issued a week ago but will be effective as of today.
He said the notice was issued on grounds that the government has failed to honor its promises to the nurses’ national executive.
“We have negotiated some incentives and in December last year a final document was signed that agreed upon paying nurses their incentives at the beginning of this year so that it could be included in the first payment for 2019 when it is made so we signed that agreement.
“So far this month is almost over and already two arrears have been incurred and still nothing is forthcoming from the responsible ministry”.
Mr Maitani added, they are looking at scaling down nursing duties across the country in the absence of an amicable solution from the government.
“Maybe from provinces and then hospitals and then at any centres where there is a clinic, will listen out for an announcement as to how we would begin to scale down on nursing services in the country.
“It would only be a five-day exercise to scale down on nursing services in terms of maybe basic services like no outpatient times at clinics or nurses will only do night or day duties, those are some first steps to take especially in scaling down nursing services in the country”.
By: Rickson J BauÂ