Apr 25 - Health Workers Protest Against “Privatisation Through The Back Door” Of The GHA
A 300-strong protest was held outside St Bernard’s Hospital this afternoon, with health workers calling for answers from the Government on vacancies being filled up by agency workers.
Organised by Unite the Union, and backed by representatives from the GGCA and members from the GSD opposition, the protestors shouted “Enough is Enough”, with banners held up which read: “No To The Insiduous Privatisation Of The GHA” and “Socialista No, Sucio Listo. Socialists Should Support Civil Service, Not Privatisation”.
Speaking to the crowd, Unite the Union’s Regional Officer Victor Ochello said what the Government is doing has been interpreted by the union as “privatisation of the GHA through the back door” and that the union members had “suffered enough in silence,” adding that today they have a voice.
Speaking to the press during the hour-long protest, Unite’s Chairperson Louis Gonzalez said this is a long-standing issue which they’ve raised concerns about with the Government, adding that in recent months more and more agency workers are taking up positions across the board, some of which are above covering long-term sickness and maternity cover, which is what they were initially supposed to cover.
He said that the trend is to have short-term supply workers come from MedDoc, Grand Home Care and SnK Recruitment.
He added: “This is not about the supply agency workers, we have nothing against them and they are members of Unite, this is about equal pay for equal work, it’s about giving them a decent job, it’s about possibly giving them the opportunity to apply for better things within the different sectors, and future generations as well.”
Mr Gonzalez was happy with the turnout of today’s protest, adding that they are a responsible union and patients’ safety was not jeopardised in any way.
Mr Gonzalez added: “The GHA is not a political football to be played around by the Government or the politicians.”
Wendy Radford, President of the GGCA, said: “This is a Unite action but we are here to support the principle that supply workers should not be covering permanent vacancies within the civil service and the public service.”
GSD MP and former Leader of the Opposition, Daniel Feetham, was in attendance at the protest. He said this has been going on for more than two years, and something the GSD has been consistently commenting and concerned about, not just from the point of view of the workers but also the effect this will have on the continuity of care.
He said Unite has done everything to avoid industrial action, saying his message to the protestors today is that the GSD has never forgotten about them, and has advocated for them and will continue to do so at every single opportunity for as long as the present “injustice” continues.
A statement issued by the Government regarding the planned walk-out read: “The GHA can categorically confirm that during the process of recruitment, Agency Workers may have been used to bridge the gap until the post has been substantively filled, following the established recruitment process. Agency Workers form an important and essential part on the continual delivery of services, providing cover in order to maintain the necessary and safe clinical levels of care. Additionally, the Government has further confirmed again that in the GHA, agency workers are only used for long term absences and maternity cover.
“The Ministry for Health, Care and Justice and Unite officials and staff representatives have met on no less than 86 occasions since January 2017 in what it has thought, until today, to have been a good and positive working relationship. These meetings have lent themselves, in no small way, to resolving all issues brought to the table, to date. The number of meetings does not include the numerous phone calls and impromptu meetings at Unite’s request. The Ministry has always adopted an engaged and transparent relationship with Union officials and staff representatives.
“A walk out in the health services is a potentially hugely disruptive action with potentially dangerous consequences for patients.”
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