By Phumlani Saul
Nursing staff at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital are struggling financially as they say they are not allowed to work additional shifts.
Adding to their woes, the first responders allegedly face delays in receiving payment for working Sundays, after hours and public holidays.
Due to this, the nurses held a 30-minute mini-protest at the hospital on Monday morning, demanding overtime and outstanding allowances.
Some said the overtime issue had been going on since 2021.
“We haven’t received overtime since about two years ago.
“They keep saying they are waiting for some code,” a nurse, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, said.
“We feel demotivated and unhappy, and as a result we have low work morale.
“Even public holiday and night shift allowances are not paid on time, such as the June 16 public holiday that we worked and only received the allowances after two or three months.
“We are also not paid monthly for working weekends.”
Another nurse said: “We are not allowed to work overtime or any additional shifts.
“Sundays are classified as overtime but we’re not getting paid on time — we only get paid months later.”
A third nurse said they wanted scheduled overtime.
They [allegedly] allow nursing staff from other institutions to work overtime here,” she said.
“Many nursing staff have since left the hospital because of this issue to pursue a higher income and overtime privileges, and this adds to the workload on the staff left behind.
“Within the last six months, several staff members have left.
“Yesterday [Monday], we halted our work and contacted management.
“We maintained a skeleton staff, ensuring at least one nurse remained in each room.”
The picket took place from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said overtime had to be pre-authorised before employees were allowed to work the shifts.
“It is not part of the benefits,” he said.
“The CEO of the hospital is still engaging with head office to check if the authorisation code was issued or declined.
“The employees or their unions must clarify the type of protest they engaged in as unprotected protest action may have dire consequences in terms of the Labour Relations Act.
“I will ask for an investigation if there was a protected protest action at the hospital so that due process can follow.”
Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU) president Rich Sacini said the nurses’ allegations were concerning.
“We are concerned, and it’s something we have raised previously,” he said.
“We are sitting on a ticking time bomb … what is happening at Uitenhage Provincial is a symptom of a failing and neglected system.
“It shows that those in positions of authority have embraced a mediocre and substandard way of doing things.
“It’s just a complete mess. We hope the government will wake up in 2024, adhere to what they are employed to do and start caring.”
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