This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
The New Age reports that health practitioners belonging to various unions in the OR Tambo region are threatening to down tools over a crisis caused by a gross shortage of staff and issues relating to study leave. Nurses belonging to the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa), the Public Servants Association of SA (PSA) and the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa) said the Eastern Cape had a gross shortage of nurses to the point that enrolled nurses were taking risks running wards in the absence of registered nurses. This is said to be seriously disapproved of by the regulations board.
Unions say that nurses are willing to engage with the provincial health department’s superintendent-general (SG), Dr Thobile Mbengashe, before withdrawing their services and want to expose the department for its ignorance and for not appreciating the work that has been done.
Nurses are said to be running the risk of being litigated against where one nurse has to do a job which should be done by three because of the shortage of staff. They also want the department to provide them with study leave.
“It is the first time under the leadership of the current SG that by November people who are supposed to go to school the following year, have not gone to work in the areas of their desired speciality. It is under the current SG that enrolled nurses, after being so productive in the department (and) who sacrificed many years getting so little money, this year are told to resign if they want to go to school,” the unions claimed.
Provincial health spokesperson Siyanda Manana said: "The SG's office has made an appointment with the union leaders to meet and part of the agenda are the issues raised." The meeting will take place on Thursday in East London.
Based on a report by Indie Boyce on page 23 of The New Age of 4 November 2016
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page