The Linden Hospital Complex is likely to face a total shutdown today as the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has signalled its intention to call out all of its workers after unsuccessful negotiations to broker a compromise on gratuity payments.
This was announced by GPSU’s Linden representative Maurice Butters, who said that they intend to intensify their efforts for the ministry to include gratuity for workers of the Linden Hospital Complex, the Upper Demerara Hospital (UDH) and the Kwakwani Hospitals
Workers were on a go-slow last week and a sit-in started on Thursday, and both actions were sanctioned by the GPSU. The decision was taken as a consequence of a circular passed to workers indicating that their gratuity will be included on the August payroll.
The two parties met on Wednesday in the capital but they failed to agree on terms of resumption.
According to Butters, the Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Hydar Ally indicated that it was too late for any change to be made to incorporate the gratuity into the February payroll, as is being demanded by the union. “They are holding out on their position and we are saying that they can do it because they did it in the pass, it is not impossible,” Butters said.
Staff at the LHC, UDH and Kwakwani hospitals receive 22 ½ percent of their basic salary as gratuity, which is incorporated in their payroll on a half-yearly basis. Staff expressed the view that they are punished twice, since deductions are made from their salaries if they are absent for any given period and a further deduction is made from their gratuity.
A similar situation occurred last year, resulting in a strike by the nurses and ancillary staff of the LHC.
