A strike action to the nation’s physicians  engaged  with public hospitals  is in the offing as no resolution is in sight regarding the many issues they have in dispute with the government and the Public Hospitals Authority.  Over the weekend many of the doctors who are consultants were said to be  weighing their options.

The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Obie Ferguson  last Friday said that he has plans to move forward off the heels of the Consultant Physician Staff Association (CPSA) giving the government five days to respond to their trade dispute filed to the Department of Labour. 

Mr. Ferguson explained  that there are quite several steps that needs to be taken before moving ahead with their intended plans. 

He said, “for example if you want to have a strike, there’s a process that you have to go through. First, you have to file a trade dispute. You have to make sure that all parties are given a copy of the trade dispute. You then have to send a letter to the Minister of Labour requesting a strike vote.”

He added, “you have to tell the minister where and when. The minister has to supervise or send someone as a designated officer to supervise the polls. The polls then have to be satisfied by him and must be certified by him. Afterwards, you then go on strike.”

This past Tuesday Labour Minister Dion Foulkes told reporters that as of Monday he did not receive a trade dispute from the CPSA.

Mr. Ferguson, however, said he isn’t certain that a trade dispute wasn’t done. 

He said, “to my knowledge, the president of the CPSA filed a trade dispute. So, if the Minister said that it may be so, but that doesn’t mean a dispute was not filed.”

This, rather, means that the minister was not in possession of a letter. 

However, Mr. Ferguson said he will ensure that this is clarified.