Nurses get angry over reclassification delays

[Lazie]

Nurses get angry over reclassification delays

Published: Wednesday | September 23, 2009


Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Health Minister Ruddy Spencer were yesterday firmly rebuffed by protesting nurses in a dramatic spectacle, metres from the nation's Parliament building.
President of the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ), Edith Allwood-Anderson, said that the decision to protest was made at a meeting early yesterday. She said the action of the nurses was precipitated by a letter from state minister in the Finance Ministry, Arthur Williams.
The letter reportedly stated that the long-overdue reclassification of nurses would be implemented in another 14 weeks, which would push the date into early next year.
However, the health minister disclaimed knowledge of the letter and asked the nurses for additional time to sort out the issue.
"I am surprised to see them out here … I did not know the nurses had a problem," Spencer told The Gleaner.
Rejected proposal
As Spencer sought to appease Allwood-Anderson, the protesting nurses vociferously rejected the health minister's proposal to meet at a later date.
Later, he told The Gleaner that the letter had reached his office.
In the midst of the protest, Golding was forced to confront the fury of the placard-waving nurses on his way to Parliament.
Golding told Allwood-Anderson that Cabinet had received the submission on the reclassification 15 minutes before the start and could not have studied the contents.
The prime minister requested another week to address the issue, after which he would meet with the leadership of the NAJ.
"We don't need to fight," Golding told Allwood-Anderson.
This did not go down well with the nurses.
An intense exchange between Golding and Allwood-Anderson lasting more than 10 minutes ensued where the latter accused the Government of short-changing nurses.
During the exchange, Golding suggested that the NAJ president was playing to the camera.
The angry nurses erupted in a noisy dissenting voice and Golding and members of his security detail turned and walked down Duke Street into Gordon House.
Later, Spencer would change his tack by appealing to Allwood-Anderson and her team to meet with him immediately.
However, the nurses were in no mood to talk.
The matter is now before the Ministry of Labour. gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead7.html

[Lazie]

Nurses call in sick

Several nurses last night called in sick in a suspected attempt to register their disappointment over the Government’s handling of their reclassification.

The nurses are demanding that the Government implement their reclassification, which would result in increased salaries for several of them.

However the Government is insisting that it needs another eight weeks to work out aspects to the reclassification proposal before it can implement.

Yesterday the nurses stepped up their agitation with a march on Gordon House.

The Prime Minister Bruce Golding and the health minister Ruddy Spencer addressed them. But that did not appease the nurses who want the immediate implementation of the reclassification as set out by a three-member review panel.

[Mosiah]

I remember when people used to say Edith was a Labourite, das why she a give suh much trouvel.

[MdmeX]

I remember when people used to say Edith was a Labourite, das why she a give suh much trouvel.

So she tun Comrade now

[Mosiah]

i think she is just plain fed up of promises from politicians. all while nurses starve. mind yuh, sometimes mi nuh sorry fi dem because some a dem so tan bad, but i guess if i was always unhappy about my salary i might tek it out pon smaddy else tuh.

[Assasin]

I so mi like people stand firm regardless of what party them support.

[1of1]

a lot of people get more open minded to either party these days as dem tinking bout dem food more than politics