Today is International Nurses Day and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is calling out the government on its treatment of these healthcare workers.
In a press release issued yesterday, the union said this year’s theme, “A voice to lead- invest in nursing and respect rights to secure global health,” could not have been better coined, especially when the invaluable and incredible resources of the nursing profession are considered among the lifesaving, caregiving, comforting and other feats that are accomplished hourly, daily, monthly and annually.
The union posited that in light of the invaluable contributions of nurses, it is difficult to comprehend the actions of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration which has openly denied fully merited risk allowances. Instead, the government has imposed a grossly inadequate 7 % salary increase and has threatened and harassed picketing nurses, who now face a high cost of living which is affecting their ability to perform during the COVID-19 pandemic, the union pointed out.
Additionally, it noted that the two-week one-off bonus was also inadequate for nurses in comparison to the one-month salary bonus given to the military.
The union said the government needs to explain this demotivating action. Further, the workers’ advocacy body said it noted the spiraling exodus of the core of the nursing profession in Guyana to greener pastures, where their skills and services are more valued and compensated. This, the union said, has not escaped the knowledge of government, which seems unmoved by the hemorrhaging of the profession’s skill and technical competence that no doubt has already affected the country’s healthcare system.
The GPSU said another demotivating factor is the seemingly untrained human resources management of hospitals which deals with nurses-related matters outside of established rules and guidelines. This, it explains, is hindering, among other things, job satisfaction, upward mobility within the profession and access to benefits, while they satiate their own emotional lust for power. These circumstances have and will continue to be disruptive and destructive for the state of healthcare in Guyana, the release emphasised.
“The GPSU is very disturbed by the lack of appropriate responses to such violations and has moved to the court, where suitable redress [was] not obtained following representations made to management in accordance with existing legally binding Collective Labour Agreements, some of which were copied to the Executive (Government),” it said.
The union said to reclaim respect for the tireless struggles and their professional capacity, nurses of Guyana must unite against the “tyranny and executive lawlessness being daily displayed by the elite that are obvious contradictions to their requirements and professional outlook”.
In closing, the union said the services provided adds much to everyone’s quality of life and are lifesaving to all, and this is the message all nurses must carry.