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Union wants nurses’ issues addressed

by Barbados Today
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Wayne Walrond

Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Wayne Walrond has come out in staunch defense of public sector nurses subjected to discrepancies in the system which are preventing them from being appointed and keeping others sidelined, while imported nurses take up jobs here.

Speaking on Starcom Network’s Down-to-Brass-Tacks radio programme, Walrond echoed sentiments expressed by his contemporary in the Unity Workers’ Union Senator Caswell Franklyn who is threatening industrial action over long-standing grievances.

The latest issues include inadequate COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and disputes over hazard pay proposals.

Walrond, however, explained nurses are also growing restless about last year’s highly-touted appointments that excluded scores of temporary nurses. He explained while some experienced nurses were appointed under the Public Service Act many years ago, they are still designated as temporary workers.

“The first appointment means nothing. With the first appointment, you are still coded a temporary officer. You don’t benefit from sick leave, the provisions that public officers get and you cannot go to any [financial] institution under a first appointment because your status is still temporary,” complained Walrond on national radio.

“The union’s position is that if you had legislation that said three years and over, but you have unfinished business with persons waiting under the Public Service Act with ten to 15 years’ of service, and you are telling them ‘sorry, we cannot appoint you under this legislation. This is only for people who have not been processed as yet’.

“A person with three years gets appointed and another with ten years is still waiting for their appointment. This is the kind of madness and anomaly that has been created. Our argument is that legislation should have been used to appoint all persons with three years and over… So nurses are frustrated,” the union leader charged.

Walrond added numerous issues regarding nurses’ training were also lingering, as these healthcare workers remain unhappy about having to complete regional certification before being allowed to practice here. In fact, he said many believe the government is more keen on importing nurses, rather than developing homegrown talent.

“There are a lot of nurses out there who are BCC [Barbados Community College] trained and their frustration is that there is a caveat with the nursing council that if you do not qualify for the regional certification then you cannot practice,” Walrond explained.

“I think Trinidad has eliminated that, so that based on their local nurses’ training, their nurses can practice in their country. What Barbados could have done if we are going to import nurses is at least let them practice. But you find a whole set of persons out there who are qualified, BCC-trained, but because of the caveat with the regional certification, they cannot practice.

“The local criterion is more prohibitive to practice than the nurses that are being imported. That is the irony of the situation,” he charged.

Despite the issues, Walrond this week told Barbados TODAY the NUPW is committed to dialogue with authorities over the long-standing issues.

Meanwhile, Senator Franklyn has reported increasing members as the UWU opts for a more militant approach to the issues with threats of widespread industrial action. (KS)

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