Nupsaw wants public service recognition
FED-UP members of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) marched to the legislature, calling for community health workers to be recognised as public servants. They held up banners that read: “No slavery wages”.
“Basically as the union, we represent workers in the public service. A few years ago we embarked on a campaign for the recognition for community health care workers. They play a crucial role in the health sector, but yet they are not recognised as public servants nor are they recognised as public workers,” provincial co-ordinator for Nupsaw Omar Parker said.
The call to have these workers acknowledged as public servants started around two years ago. Back then over 40 organisations raised concerns over the state of public health at a National Health Assembly.
“What has essentially transpired is that we have tabled demands for the government to recognise them and a series of events where stakeholders engage with us to look at the plight of these workers,” Parker said. Among some of their demands listed is to address occupational safety.
They are also demanding that the workers be placed at salary level 3, as an interim measure considering the job description, which includes counselling, health education, home-based care and delivery of medicine for patients that are on chronic medication.
“A few years ago to our dismay government came back and said they can no longer honour that agreement in terms of the policy implementation and sited financial constraints. This is a clear inducement to the government itself and an insult to those recipients who must get that much needed services from these workers.”
But in the midst of all the demonstration, the department was left confused because the memorandum was addressed to the Minister of Health and not the MEC for Health.
“We have received the memorandum, but we realised that it was delivered to the provincial legislature and not national government. So that is our current position,” spokesperson for the MEC, Colleen Smart said.