The Consultant Physician Staff Association yesterday again expressed their dissatisfaction with the progress of negotiation with the Public Hospitals Authority.
Just two weeks ago, the CPSA with the support of other trade unions expressed their concerns, filed a trade dispute and gave the PHA and the government five days to respond to their cries.
According to CPSA President Dr. Locksley Munroe nothing has happened as yet.
“You cannot force a response from them , but just the same way you cannot force a response from them, from a statutory stand point we have mechanisms by which we can express ourselves and we are going to use those until we come to a level plain field and we all come to the table and decide on what is the best way to resolve this entire issue,” Dr. Munroe said.
Dr. Munroe stated that the CPSA has been in negotiations with the PHA for three years now, and while some progress has been made, he said it is not enough, and that the union’s now at an impasse.
“Many of us have worked for more than 10 years without any changes to our salary, no increase, and no increments.
“We work without any sort of insurance, yet every day we walk in here we are placed at risk for infections like HIV and TB because those are the patients that we have to see.
“We have no pension plan, so upon retirement we will literally become almost like paupers,” he said.
The CPSA said the PHA has not responded to them in over 10 years and their next step is to acquire a strike vote.
“The trade dispute was filed on the 6th, the Minister may have gotten it on the 7th or on that Tuesday. He may have gotten it late in the afternoon, but it was delivered.
“So the next step after that, you have the right and the authority to apply for a strike vote certificate.
“So you’re talking about the withdrawal of services entirely, not just slowing down, not just walking out, but actually the total and complete withdrawal of services,” he said.
The CPSA said that they will not allow their concerns to be silenced.
