Unsigned doctors get extension

Junior doctors who have not renewed contracts with the South West Regional Health Authority, (SWRHA), will be granted a one month extension today. SWRHA chairman Imtiaz Ahamad said that the RHA had agreed to the extension after a request by the Medical Professional Association of TT, (MPATT) to further discuss the new contracts. Ahamad said that doctors would be retained under their existing terms and conditions and would be paid accordingly. However, doctors who had already signed their new contracts would be paid according to the new rates and would also receive retroactive payments for 2003.

MPATT, meanwhile, have requested “formal binding arbitration” negotiations between the Regional Health Authorities, (RHAs), in an effort to secure new contracts for house doctors, registrars and consultants. Interviewed Tuesday, MPATT secretary, Dr Lakhan Roop said that while the association preferred not to conduct its negotiations in the media, it observed that the contracts presently offered by the RHAs were issued “in the face of incomplete negotiations.” He said that after the last mediation meeting on December 15 between the RHAs, MPATT and the Ministry of Labour, which had proved unsuccessful, the RHA had issued “unilateral contracts” to doctors.

Roop said that the RHAs, as the employer, had a duty to ensure that its employees remained on the job and that an uninterrupted health care service was available to members of the public. He also pointed out that no mediation meetings had occurred between July 2 to November 26. Outstanding issues include the payment of overtime beyond 56 hours per week, payment for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays and 20 percent gratuity payments as calculated on gross salary as opposed to basic salary.