The results of Consultant Physician Staff Association’s strike poll indicate that 96 per cent of senior physicians voted to withdraw services following a protracted standoff with health officials.
According to CPSA President Dr. Locksley Munroe, out of the 110 members, 78 of them voted which equals 71 per cent of the entire association.
Out of that 78 members, 75 of them voted yes, which adds up to 96 per cent of the voters. The remaining 3 members equalling 4 per cent voted no.
Dr. Locksley added that although they met with the Prime Minister last week to discuss their concerns, he said that the meeting and their need to take action are not necessarily connected.
“The Prime Minister has promised that he will see to it that our concerns and request are addressed in a timely manner based on the priority that we give them.”
“The fact that he has said that, does not mean that we should not continue with our industrial actions,” Dr. Munroe said.
Dr. Munroe confirmed that one of the sources of contention is that junior doctors have more benefits than they do.
“Primarily the things that we speak of in terms of increments in your salary, we get none, in terms of health insurance, there is no provision, neither do we get pension or any kind of gratuity.
“The junior physicians get their gratuity at the end of their contracts, persons like myself do not have a contract. So, there is no gratuity and I am awaiting a pension plan,” he said.
Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson in support of the physicians, called the vote historic.
“They have decided to follow the law and to benefit like any other worker in the length and breadth of this country.
“On Tuesday, possibly Wednesday, because Monday is a holiday, the president ought to have in his possession a certificate from the Minister of Labour certifying a strike.”
“Once that is done, the president along with his executives in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress know what is necessary to fulfil those concerns,” he said.
Also standing in support of the CPSA was Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams who congratulated the doctors and called it a cry out for a change.
She said, “we say today to The Bahamas government, be fair, be honest and do what you’re supposed to do because we voted you in.”
She added that the nurses will stand with the CPSA in whatever happens and that nurses in the hospital, and the family islands are on board.
This strike poll comes after weeks of the CPSA expressed their dissatisfaction with the process of negotiation between the association and the Public Hospital Authority.
A few weeks after two walks outs by the CPSA and the Bahamas Doctors Union, the Public Hospitals Authority said that it is financially constrained and cannot to meet the demands of CPSA.
In response to this the CPSA president said that while they may be financially constrained, he questioned some of their spending habits.
The CPSA will determine whether or not they will withdraw their services by the end of October.
