Although willing to accept the two-week bonus announced for them by President Irfaan Ali as welcomed assistance, some health care worker do not see it as enough to significantly mitigate the struggles they have already faced or equivalent to the sustained improvement in their working conditions that they have asked for.
On Friday, the Department of Public Information (DPI) shared positive responses from some health care workers to the announced measure, which the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has said was arbitrary and did not receive the full input of the union.
Ali announced that all “health care professionals” would be classified as frontline workers and receive a bonus equivalent to two weeks’ pay as part of his government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to DPI, Ishaku Zechriah, a registered nurse at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), called the bonus is encouraging, particularly since there have been multiple agitations to compensate for the increased work load and risks associated with the pandemic.
“I think the president’s response is appropriate,” he is quoted as saying.
Jeanel Lewis, who is also a nurse at the GPH, does not agree.
“I’m happy to be receiving a little small change this year end, but in my honest opinion it isn’t enough. Its chump change. We need an increase in salary not a one-time pay off bonus,” she argued, before adding that healthcare workers cannot continue to receive a dormant salary but be expected or required to work ten times harder than usual under very risky situations.
Lewis explained that she is still traumatised by an incident several months ago when she and her colleagues were denied a COVID19 test even after a patient they had treated test positive for the virus.
“It was before testing was made readily available to everyone [and] the government has since changed but I can’t forget that feeling of helplessness. It was worrying because many of us have parents who suffer underlying conditions and infants in the house,” she shared.
It was this feeling of helplessness which convinced Lewis to join the protest action in September. At the time, she told this newspaper that it was essential for government to recognise that every health worker, from porters to doctors in every ward, was at risk and therefore needed access to not just risk allowance but also the personal protective equipment and an increase in their base salary.
She has now extended her call for support systems to be recognised as important.
“I wish to see the Ministry of Health re-implement the transportation system for healthcare workers of all description. I also would like for the system to remain in place at the Georgetown Public Hospital. At GPH it’s scheduled to end in January. The Ministry of Health stopped theirs months ago I believe that is very unreasonable towards the staff,” she said.
Dr Diana Singh, a paediatrician, and Althea Tucker, Ward Manager have told the DPI that the measure is “exciting” and a sign that government is thinking about healthcare workers.
Acting administrative manager at the GPH (Pharmaceuticals), Claudia Hinds, also expressed gratitude. “I must say I am happy and I am very thankful for that,” she is quoted as stating.
Dr Gerald Forde, however, is concerned about both the sustainability of the relief measure and other support systems.
“While we give thanks for any assistance at this time. I think it is inadequate given the level of risk all health care workers are exposed to and the length of time we were and are projected to be fighting the disease. We were being told, initially, we had to wait for the budget to be passed and this outcome is disappointing, especially if it’s going to be a one-off payment,” he told Sunday Stabroek.
Forde is also concerned that the bonus was being made outside of the collective bargaining agreement with the GPSU.
“It’s a violation of collective bargaining, especially at a time when the government and union were engaged on the very matter of pay for health care workers among other critical issues,” he lamented.
Forde’s statement echoes that of the union, which denounced the measure and accused government of taking an “anti-Trade Union approach,”
GPSU first Vice President Dawn Gardener said the decision was in conflict with the Trade Union Recognition Act, and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions that were ratified by the Government of Guyana and are in force.
“The Union views this announcement as arbitrary, given that the bargaining process was not respected to ensure fairness to Health Care Workers, who are battling to protect the nation by providing quality healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, with little or no resources and at risk to their lives and by extension that of their families,” Gardener said in a statement in response to the announcement.
“The Guyana Public Service Union is therefore calling on the Government to respect the workers’ rights and value their contributions. The Government must also respect the Laws of the Guyana and the ratified ILO Conventions on collective bargaining, meet and have discussions with the Workers’ Representative (the Union) on all benefits for the workers so as to arrive at an amicable resolution,” the statement added, while calling on all health care workers to display unity and be prepared to take whatever action necessary to put an end to what the union deemed “abuse”.
Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton yesterday said that the bonus is reflective of the small emergency budget the government has been working with.
He told this newspaper that when the government took office approximately four months ago, there was much to be done to meet the needs of the people who had to suffer during the prolonged elections period.
“This is not a one year budget, it is an emergency budget we created and look at putting money back into people’ pocket,” the minister stressed.
Hamilton stated that while comments have been made by the GPSU, he believes the union should have been more vocal under the former David Granger led APNU+AFC government and bargain for better deals.
“No matter the government leading, a union should always fight for the rights of workers and speak up,” the minister said.
Hamilton added that while the bonus is viewed as small, nurses are not exempted from the government’s $25,000 COVID-19 cash grant nor the $15,000 per child initiative which will be rolled out soon or the rollbacks from the removal of VAT on food items and medicine.
The main opposition APNU+AFC has dismissed the bonus as a “lil freck” and demanded that all public servants, including health care workers and members of the joint services, receive one month’s tax-free compassionate payment in addition to their December salary
It also demanded that all health care workers receive an additional $100,000 bonus above and beyond the one-month tax free compassionate payment.
