Deal ends ambulance strike
Unions have signed an agreement with the Eastern Cape health department, bringing an official end to the ambulance strike. The agreement was signed on Thursday.
Provincial spokesperson Lwandile Sicwetsha said: “The department has reached an agreement with the unions representing emergency medical services (EMS) workers in the province to end the illegal strike and return back to work starting with the nightshift.”
The strike started on November 2, bringing operations at ambulance bases to a standstill. Sicwetsha said the impact was still being assessed.
The health department earlier announced that it activated its contingency plans to ensure ambulance users were able to access emergency services and be transported to health facilities. The workers had embarked on a strike over non-payment of overtime. The department made this commitment on the concerns raised by workers:
● The claims for 2003-2011 overtime claims is referred to arbitration to make a ruling.
● Overtime claims for the period 2012 to 2014 will be paid between December this year and January next year.
● The outstanding payment of claims in 2018 between July and October will be paid during this month.
National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union provincial coordinator Themba Bangani said the union welcomed the commitment shown by the health department.
Bangani said the provincial government owed emergency workers R251m in overtime pay dating back to 2003. The Daily Dispatch made several phone calls to Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) and Health and Other Services Personnel of South Africa (Horpesa) for comment.
However, officials were not willing to speak to the media, saying they were not authorised to do so. Their media liaison officers could not be reached for comment.
Health MEC Helen Sauls-August said the department wouldl sign a new agreement that confirmed these resolutions in Bhisho on Friday.
The department has reached an agreement with the unions representing emergency medical services workers in the province to end the illegal strike