The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has told the Health Services Board (HSB) to disregard, Vice President, retired General Constantino Chiwenga’s decision to fire all nurses who took part in a strike. The Nurses contend that the Vice President’s decision is illegal and have vowed to approach the High Court if the HSB moves to implement the directive. However, the government has already started recruiting nurses to replace the ones fired by Chiwenga.
We Publish ZINA’s response in full below:
1. We have taken note of the press statement issued by the Honourable Vice President C Chiwenga on 17 April 2018.
2. In the aforesaid press statement, the Vice President purported to summarily terminate the services of our striking members.
1.1 Our members are employed by the Health Services Board in terms of written contracts of employment, which contracts still subsist.
1.2 For the record our members have not received any letters terminating their services. They, therefore, remain employed by the Health Services Board.
1.3 Our grievances which relate to poor and dangerous working conditions which threaten our health and affects the discharge of our duties, remain unaddressed.
1.4 The USD 17 144 446 million referred to by the Vice President in his press statement as having been transferred to the Ministry of Health, relates to arrear allowances dating back to 2010. It is in no way related to our current demands that triggered the collective job action.
1.5 The USD 17 144 446 million has not been received by our members. We cannot confirm that such payment was made to the Ministry of Health.
1.6 We gave the employer notice of our intention to resort to collective job action should our grievances remain unaddressed. Upon the expiration of the notice and when the employer failed to address our concerns, we embarked on a lawful collective job action.
1.7 We remain open to engagement with our employer to resolve our concerns.
1.8 We have engaged the Health Services Board to confirm that it will not implement the directive issued by the Vice President by not later than 1600hrs, on 19 April 2018, failing which we shall approach the High court on an urgent basis to protect our rights.