An unprotected strike by health workers in Mpumalanga has been replaced by lunch-time pickets, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said on Thursday.
Provincial secretary December Manana said Nehawu met its members on Wednesday to report back on a meeting with Mpumalanga Premier Thabang Makwetla.
”We have agreed to give the process proposed by government a chance so the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible,” he said.
The government warned Nehawu at the meeting on Tuesday that the continuation of the unprotected strike would result in a ”no-work-no-pay policy”.
A number of agreements were reached with Makwetla, including the union playing a more significant role in discussions about the cross-boundary process between Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
However, the parties deadlocked over Nehawu’s call for the dismissal of the head of the provincial health and social department, Dr Confidence Moloko. ”We are meeting with government again today [Thursday] to discuss the matter of Dr Moloko,” said Manana.
The union and government have established a joint working group to work through other issues raised at Tuesday’s meeting.
Operations were cancelled at the Rob Ferreira Hospital, where the strike began, with each ward having only one nurse on duty. Emergencies were referred to the Themba hospital, Beeld reported on Wednesday.
The government appealed to the union to assist with staff shortages due to the strike as it had affected service delivery. — Sapa