NATUC joins doctors dispute

THE NATIONAL Trade Union Centre has appealed to Public Administration Minister Dr Lenny Saith to settle the dispute involving doctors employed with the Regional Health Authorities who are represented by the Medical Professionals Association of TT (MPATT). In a media release, NATUC expressed support for the doctors in their attempt to secure overtime payment and full gratuity. “The doctors are asking for premium rates for work done beyond seven (eight-hour) sessions of on call work and for work done on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.”

NATUC said the doctors’ gratuity must be paid on gross salary and reminded that the Chief Personnel Officer had given this instruction to Public Servants as gazetted in July 2000. “It is unfair that doctors are being asked to accept a gratuity based on basic salary alone.” NATUC urged Saith to allow the dispute to be referred to a Special Tribunal for Arbitration to avoid another round of industrial warfare between the RHAs and doctors which will cause poor people to suffer at public medical institutions throughout the country.