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Minister of Labour, Pearnel Charles.The Government has vowed to take strong action Thursday against registered nurses who continue to defy an order by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) to return to work.
The matter is likely to be referred to the Supreme Court.
Despite the IDT order which was issued on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Health says an unusually high number of nurses continue to call in sick.
This has put a further strain on public hospitals which have been forced to scale down operations for a third consecutive day.
Minister of Labour, Pearnel Charles, is warning that the situation will not be allowed to continue.
Mr. Charles told our news centre if the nurses continue with their protest on Thursday morning, his Ministry will take the appropriate action.
"The Ministry of Labour will get the report from the Ministry of Health and will, I can promise you, will report to the IDT those workers who have not turned up and we will take it from there,"
"I can tell you that in the past we have headed straight for the court with the names of those people who have not turned up. If they are sick or otherwise indisposed, they can let the court know," Mr. Charles said.
Health Minister Ruddy Spencer has announced that contingency arrangements will remain at health facilities affected by the sick out.
Elective surgeries have been postponed and non-critical patients are being discharged.
In addition, persons are urged to make alternative arrangements for their health care unless their situation is considered an emergency.
And the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) is accusing the Health Ministry of overreacting with its claim that more than 20% of registered nurses have not been showing up for work.
NAJ President, Edith Allwood-Anderson, says the Ministry has been misleading the country.
"I have said to my certain knowledge that there are enough nurses to care for the Jamaican population and as far as I know nurses are in senior positions, middle positions, specialist position and they are on duty and the failure to acknowledge that is out of incompetence in the Ministry of Health," Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said.
The Association has called its members to an emergency meeting at 11 o'clock on Thursday morning during which it is expected to decide its next move.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/22350/26/
The matter is likely to be referred to the Supreme Court.
Despite the IDT order which was issued on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Health says an unusually high number of nurses continue to call in sick.
This has put a further strain on public hospitals which have been forced to scale down operations for a third consecutive day.
Minister of Labour, Pearnel Charles, is warning that the situation will not be allowed to continue.
Mr. Charles told our news centre if the nurses continue with their protest on Thursday morning, his Ministry will take the appropriate action.
"The Ministry of Labour will get the report from the Ministry of Health and will, I can promise you, will report to the IDT those workers who have not turned up and we will take it from there,"
"I can tell you that in the past we have headed straight for the court with the names of those people who have not turned up. If they are sick or otherwise indisposed, they can let the court know," Mr. Charles said.
Health Minister Ruddy Spencer has announced that contingency arrangements will remain at health facilities affected by the sick out.
Elective surgeries have been postponed and non-critical patients are being discharged.
In addition, persons are urged to make alternative arrangements for their health care unless their situation is considered an emergency.
And the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) is accusing the Health Ministry of overreacting with its claim that more than 20% of registered nurses have not been showing up for work.
NAJ President, Edith Allwood-Anderson, says the Ministry has been misleading the country.
"I have said to my certain knowledge that there are enough nurses to care for the Jamaican population and as far as I know nurses are in senior positions, middle positions, specialist position and they are on duty and the failure to acknowledge that is out of incompetence in the Ministry of Health," Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said.
The Association has called its members to an emergency meeting at 11 o'clock on Thursday morning during which it is expected to decide its next move.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/22350/26/
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