STAFF OF AFRICMED, A PRIVATE HEALTH CLINIC STAGED A SIT-DOWN STRIKE ON MONDAY OVER THE ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION TO CUT THEIR SALARIES BY 25%.
Staff also raised other concerns that are not fulfilled by the administration. The sit-down strike over pay and other issues came after what staff say are several attempts to engage the administration, to no avail.
Staff have accused the clinics administrator of not creating a cordial working relationship between the general staff and the management and also has no regard for the welfare of the staff. The clinic’s Finance Manager is also alleged to have committed the following: -failed to pay salaries on time, premature termination of contracts of three staff, no annual appraisal and no salary increment, no of Covid19 risk allowance, failure to provide free and adequate supply of surgical masks.
Abdoulie Jobe, a registered Nurse working at AFRICMED, says some of our challenges includes, we are given cloth masks which according to the WHO is not recommended to be used by Health workers at either hospital or clinic levels. They are selling the appropriate masks to us as the staff which we find difficult to afford from the clinic’s pharmacy.
In a memo to staff, the adversely mentioned, administrator, said AFRICMED is experiencing a significant downturn in business due to the Covid19 Pandemic. The memo adds that the measures they put in place including the 25% pay cut, are just temporary to avoid operational deficiencies and the pay cut will only affect basic pay of employees who earn more than D5, 000 per month and not the other allowances, added to their basic salaries.
The measure will also be effective from August to December 2020, during which time, the money deducted will be paid back as drawback when the finances improve. To get a compromise, the Executive of the staff association held a meeting with the management and an agreement was reached over some of their demands.
Despite the agreement, the staff are still demanding the immediate resignation of the administrator and the finance manager.
BY: Mariama Faal.
Staff also raised other concerns that are not fulfilled by the administration. The sit-down strike over pay and other issues came after what staff say are several attempts to engage the administration, to no avail.
Staff have accused the clinics administrator of not creating a cordial working relationship between the general staff and the management and also has no regard for the welfare of the staff. The clinic’s Finance Manager is also alleged to have committed the following: -failed to pay salaries on time, premature termination of contracts of three staff, no annual appraisal and no salary increment, no of Covid19 risk allowance, failure to provide free and adequate supply of surgical masks.
Abdoulie Jobe, a registered Nurse working at AFRICMED, says some of our challenges includes, we are given cloth masks which according to the WHO is not recommended to be used by Health workers at either hospital or clinic levels. They are selling the appropriate masks to us as the staff which we find difficult to afford from the clinic’s pharmacy.
In a memo to staff, the adversely mentioned, administrator, said AFRICMED is experiencing a significant downturn in business due to the Covid19 Pandemic. The memo adds that the measures they put in place including the 25% pay cut, are just temporary to avoid operational deficiencies and the pay cut will only affect basic pay of employees who earn more than D5, 000 per month and not the other allowances, added to their basic salaries.
The measure will also be effective from August to December 2020, during which time, the money deducted will be paid back as drawback when the finances improve. To get a compromise, the Executive of the staff association held a meeting with the management and an agreement was reached over some of their demands.
Despite the agreement, the staff are still demanding the immediate resignation of the administrator and the finance manager.
BY: Mariama Faal.