Nehawu protest working conditions for nurses and frontline staff in KZN. Photo: Nehawu
Nehawu protest working conditions for nurses and frontline staff in KZN. Photo: Nehawu
National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has confirmed that it will hold a picket on 3 September across the country, and failing employer’s willingness to comply with their demands, they will hold a national shutdown of all members on 10 September in which they down tools across the variety of industries within which they are employed.
The union has concluded that the conditions its members are being made to work under are simply unacceptable after they embarked on a nationwide roadshow last month where they visited a host of healthcare clinics and hospitals in various provinces.
Members – mainly nurses – had complained that they were being overworked, deprived of personal protective equipment (PPE) and were not being paid sufficiently.
Nehawu meets with host of stakeholders
Nehawu held a briefing in Braamfontein, Gauteng, on Thursday 20 August and said the they have seen enough during their visits to COVID-19 hotspots, and been present during enough failed meetings between themselves and government officials, to confidently say that they must now take action.
In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, Nehawu General Secretary Zola Saphetha said that their working members – predominantly nurses in this case – are “extremely angry at the poor pace of transformation and government’s inability to improve the lives of public servants”.
“Guided by phases of our national programme of action, our mobilisation is in full swing and has seen the national and provincial leadership criss-crossing the country listening to members raising challenges and solutions thereof,” he said, adding that meetings had been convened with members in the public and private healthcare, SARS, SASSA, private and public laboratories, Emergency Medical Services [EMS], and community healthcare workers.
He added that the union had met with the Special Investigative Unit [SIU], Labour Inspectors in the Department of Employment and the higher education sector.
Workers ‘under siege’ by employers
He said that workers are “under siege” by their employers in the facilities that were visited.
“All workers are under siege by intransigent and reckless employers which has led to perpetual rising numbers of infections with the novel coronavirus. The outcomes of our fact-finding report mission and the meetings convened have painted a bleak picture in relation to the health and safety of workers especially during the outbreak of COVID-19.”
He bemoaned the fact that members continue to complain about non-payment of salaries, and lamented the fact that more and more allegations of COVID-19 tender corruption are emerging.
“We are convinced more than ever before that the excuses made by government are not genuine because we aware that there is money to pay public servants as we have seen money being siphoned through corruption, irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure, including immaterial irregularities and finding its way into the pockets of looters and greedy politicians,” he said.
‘Right time’ for Nehawu strike
To this end, he confirmed that action must be immediately taken by Nehawu to coerce employers in both the public and private sector to adjust the manner in which they treat their staff.
“On 3 September 2020, it will be the National Day of Action in a form of demonstrations across provinces where memorandums shall be handed-over to the President of the country, National Speaker of the National Assembly and all Premiers in provinces.”
“Failure to receive favourable responses to our demands, on the 10th September 2020 we will completely withdraw our labour, unfortunately, it will be at the peak of this virus,” he warned.
Saphetha said that this is the right time to take such action, as hospitals are in a position of readiness to combat incoming COVID-19 cases.
“At this point, the national union wishes to inform its members, workers in general and the public at large that all preparations for these activities are at the advance stage and affirm our readiness to go ahead as nothing can deter us now,” he said.
“The national union is more than convinced that this is the right moment to take a firm stand against the exploitation of our members and workers, austerity measures and the maximisation of profits at the expense of the blood and sweat of workers.”
