Nurses sick-out

More than 200 nurses called in sick at health facilities across The Bahamas yesterday, according to Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams.

Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Managing Director Catherine Weech told The Nassau Guardian that 29 nurses called in at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and Sandilands Rehabilitation Center.

Weech said services at the facilities continued “nonetheless”.

Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) President Dr. Sabriquet Pinder-Butler said there was a delay in the delivery of services at PMH.

“I think, by and large, there was a general slowing of the process of normal things that would happen in our healthcare institutions,” she said.

“Certainly, with us already having a nursing challenge prior, the impact would have been felt.”

Nurses on Grand Bahama called in sick on Monday and Tuesday following an announcement that the PHA will implement a new shift system for nurses, who currently work a shift of four nights on, four nights off.

On Monday, Williams said a group of nurses on Grand Bahama signed a contract — “unknowing” to the union — that requires them to work eight-hour shifts instead of the four on, four off.

She said the new shift system was a “major breach” of the union’s industrial agreement, adding that it would “cripple staffing”.

Yesterday, Weech said the PHA is “addressing” the issues that were placed on the table by the nurses.

“We’re meeting with them shortly on the matter that they highlighted yesterday about the roster and the altering of the industrial agreement,” she said.

“We’re making some concessions that we will articulate to them before the day is over. Other than that, we don’t anticipate, once that’s done, that there will be any further issues.”

Williams told The Guardian that the union has not had any communication with Weech.

“The communication that we had was with Mr. Lyrone Burrows (PHA deputy managing director) and the minister [of health],” she said.

“We’ve had no communication with Ms. Weech. Mr. Burrows stated that they will rectify their letters — 144 letters — and…state 40 hours a week. It’s back to the four days on, four nights off.”

Williams added, “We were not pleased because Mr. Burrows said he would be transparent and that he wouldn’t be able to change the shift immediately… If it’s not rectified by tomorrow, we will move forward in a massive way.”

She said the union would take a strike poll and move forward with legal action against the PHA if the matter is not resolved.

“If you call us and tell us you’re going to rectify the problem but, at the end of the day, you want to rectify the problem when you feel like it,” Williams said.

“It ain’t when you’re ready. Rectify it today – just how you did it when you wanted it, convert it back.”

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/nurses-sick-out/