Sep 24 - Unite Reject GSD Claims Of Low Morale Within GHA Staff
Unite the Union Health and Care Convenors says it notes with concern the assertions made by the GSD in respect to staff morale within the Gibraltar Health Authority. The union says that as the union with the majority of the negotiating rights within this environment, and therefore the primary organisation concerned with employee welfare, members of the community may be forgiven for questioning whether Unite has failed in its role to highlight concerns and safeguard the interests of its members following the allegations made by the GSD.
A statement from Unite released this evening goes into further detail: “Unite’s Convenors have not received any significant feedback from its members within Healthcare of widespread demoralisation. On the contrary, Unite is aiming for and achieving significant gains for its members within the Healthcare Sector as has been the case for elements of the Industrial Workforce, Elderly Services Clinical Staff, Contract Workers, Midwives, Clinical Nurse Managers, Doctors and Consultants. All of this has been thanks to the hard work of Unite's Reps and Shop Stewards within these respective departments who have tirelessly given of their time in order to improve the lot of their fellow colleagues. It would certainly be amiss however if we did not acknowledge the very transparent, and open door relationship that we share with the Minister for Health who we sincerely believe to have the concerns of the workforce very much close to his heart.
“Unite’s Convenors however do recognise that within a large sector as is the Healthcare sector, employing more than 1,000 employees, pockets of discontent may arise at any given time and our role within these proceedings is to swiftly identify and escalate these issues to Management and/or Government in order to resolve these. It is a testament to our current working relationship with the Minister that we have not yet felt the need to undertake industrial action within the Healthcare sector. We can assure our members that all outstanding claims and business will be tackled with Management and the Government in due course, and we are certain we will be able to reach a satisfactory outcome.
“Unite’s Health and Care Convenors therefore question the unfortunate and generalised comments made by the GSD principally in respects to staff morale within the GHA. In their bid to tarnish the Government, they have indiscriminately included in their criticism all organisations that play a role in staff welfare and as such they have felt the need to rebut said statements given their positive track record.”
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