Home Health Nurses press on with job action

Nurses press on with job action

by BustopTV

By Trevor Makonyonga

As the onslaught on striking nurses continues, thirteen nurses were arrested today, Monday whilst trying to convene a meeting at Sally Mugabe Hospital formerly Harare Central.

Nurses have vowed to desert their work stations in protest of their leaders detention.

Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president, Enock Dongo said the health care workers have not yet made a breakthrough with government concerning their salaries review.

“There is no breakthrough so far. The strike is still continuing and I am receiving instructions from members across the country that with immediate effect even those that were still reporting for duty are going to down tools in protest of the arrests. We might see a wave and a total withdrawal of nurses from the stations across the country. Normally what we do when we have an industrial action is we leave a skeleton staff to cover for emergencies so that we help Zimbabweans. But it seems as if noone is understanding that and nurses have been put on the corner to the effect that you might see a hospital being deserted because of this stance that has been taken today.”

The arrested nurses are said to have been trickling in to discuss and update on the current industrial action when the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr. Tinashe Dhobbie, is said to have called the police who made the arrests.

Dongo also said that the charges are trumped up and are a clear indication of intimidation tactics by their employer.

“It is true they are at Mbare police station right now and they are thirteen of them. They were arrested when they wanted to convene to give each other updates on the ongoing industrial action which underway. We are yet to get the charges but what I gathered is that they seem to be saying they violated the COVID regulations though they were not yet convened as they were still coming in for the meeting.” Dongo said.

Commenting on the seeming onslaught against the striking nurses at Parirenyatwa where they were chased out of residence and the arrests today Dongo said that these were cases of victimisation and violations to democracy.

Dongo said, “This is victimisation and intimidation at its highest level as done by the CEO at Harare Hospital; because the CEO at Harare Hospital is the one who called the police according to what the police is saying. Last week on Friday there was a meeting at Parirenyatwa, today there was a meeting at Mpilo and they all did their meetings. The CEO at Harare Hospital thinks that he is bigger than anyone else in this country and he decided to call the police and give orders to arrest the workers. Those workers are the people he would want to work with after the industrial action. With this kind of leadership as at Harare Hospital we are not going anywhere. You cannot order the arrest of your workers when you really know that their complains are genuine. They are apolitical, they simply wanted to have a meeting. This is a violation of democracy by the employer specifically the leaders at Parirenyatwa and Harare Hospital.”

Meanwhile, the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has condemned the arrest of the protesting nurses.

In a statement, ARTUZ said, “The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ condemns the unlawful arrest of nurses at Harare Central Hospital for demanding a fair wage. The continued deliberate attack on workers by the employer, roping in Zimbabwe Republic Police in the affairs of the employer and employees is a sign of government being clueless and now survives on intimidating it’s employees.”

The teachers union also said that the government should focus on the welfare of workers and fixing the economy.

“The government must focus on, improving the welfare of workers through consistent macroeconomic policies and pay all civil servants USD salaries. Arresting corrupt top government officials and others who are implicated in corruption scandals such as Draxgate/COVIDGATE. Stop it’s vulturous tactic of targeting employees who are tabling genuine labour grievances. As ARTUZ, we are fully in solidarity with the arrested nurses and we demand an immediate and unconditional release of the arrested nurses. Injure one injure all.” ARTUZ said.

Nurses called for an industrial action over a fortnight ago which has seen a further collapse to the already crippled health system.

Related Articles