Apr 23 - Llamas Calls For "Greater Transparency And Communication" Within The GHA
Independent MP Lawrence Llamas has called for greater transparency and communication within the GHA after staff have agreed on a walk-out following a meeting with Unite the Union.
A statement from Mr Llamas read: "Unite’s shop stewards at the GHA have today met at Unite’s headquarters and have agreed a walk out on Wednesday 25th April at 14:30 as a result of longstanding concerns over supply workers which remain unanswered by the Government.
"According to representatives of the Union, the straw that broke the camel’s back has been the decision by the Government to fill a permanent post at the hospital with a supply worker recruited via one of the labour supply agencies. This latest move represents a breach of the agreement arrived at by the Government and the Union that agency workers would only be used to cover for long-term sickness and maternity leave - not vacant posts."
He went on to explain that the concern of the union in this regard is that what the Government is effectively doing is privatising the health service by the back door.
Mr Llamas added: "The Government would therefore do well in providing step by step briefings as to how it intends to manage vacancies as and when they arise in order to avoid escalating tensions and further dampen employees’ morale. This has real consequences on patient care, the primary area of concern for the union and the community at large."
Mr Llamas further explained that there are further concerns that agency workers are simply not as qualified to perform the role they have been engaged to do. The fact that the vacancies are not properly advertised fuel these worrying concerns amongst staff members, creating a negative and toxic environment.
He continued: "The Union is also, rightly in my view, concerned about the impact on the rights of these supply workers, workers who can be told to come and go from their posts without notice or regard for their interests/rights, simply because the GHA is not the employer and the labour supply agency is merely required to provide the service. This gives rise to a potential for what some describe loosely as exploitation of those supply workers, giving way to a high turnover of staff at the hospital and elsewhere, something that should be avoided in the interests of continuity of care. It is, I have to say, quite surprising that we are seeing more and more of this kind of activity going on with a GSLP/Liberal Government in office, a Government which one would expect would be especially determined to protect and advance workers’ rights to the fullest extent possible.”
Unite the Union has today met to decide on the next steps in terms of tackling these longstanding issues and the concern that they are simply not being dealt with. Union representatives have explained that the last walkout was averted only by means of a commitment made by the Government to engage the Union and to tackle some of these issues. However, many of these issues continue to remain unresolved.
Mr Llamas concluded by saying that the decision to stage a walkout that has been agreed by Unite’s shop stewards in their meeting today is symbolic of the apparent poor lines of communication between the Government and the Union.
He added: "It is incumbent on the Government to act now and tackle these concerns in a considered, fair and reasonable manner. It is incumbent on the Government to come clean and explain the reasons for its decisions, and face the necessary scrutiny that comes with such important policy shifts. After all, there is a lot to explain when a supposedly socialist labour government, is accused of privatising the health service through the back door.”
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