The government has moved quickly to avert a crippling strike by nurses, promising to address their grievances this week after they had threatened to down their tools starting this Monday.
The health workers are protesting government’s failure to honour its promise to address their concerns especially on improving their working conditions.
Nurses want government to sort out discrepancies in allocation of allowances, solve the non-implementation of outstanding issues like regrading, promotion procedures which they say has been outstanding since 2010.
In a memo sent on April 14, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association had issued a warning to government that they will embark on a nationwide strike on April 16 and vowed not to return to duty until their grievances had been addressed.
However, 24 hours later ZNA issued another statement informing its membership that it had since met with government officials who promised to look into their grievances.
“We are just coming from a meeting with HSB (Health Services Board), MOHCC (Ministry of Health and Child Care), Minister Parirenyatwa, Chief Charumbira, Ministry of Finance, Pastors, Elders, Priests and ZINA Executive.
“The employer promised to effect the following allowances by Thursday 19 April 2018: Night duty allowance to be paid for the following grades D1 – D4 at a rate of $217 – $303 (unclaimable),” the statement read.
“Standby allowance for Rural Health Centre staff to be paid at a rate of $240 for grades C5 to D4 (unclaimable)”.
Last month doctors went on a three week strike until government relented to their demands.
