PSA sanctions Mt Hope shutdown

“You have an official day to stay home and think about the injustices done to you,” PSA ag president Stephen Thomas told workers after a two-hour meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the NCRHA Charles Mitchell. Thomas expressed dissatisfaction with Mitchell’s response to the concerns highlighted.

The union is also calling for the removal of Mitchell and the NCRHA Board for failing to deal with the issues of permanent employment, and payment of outstanding arrears. Mitchell was also criticised for not dealing with corruption and mismanagement. Scores of workers of the Complex staged protest action yesterday and gathered at the NCRHA administration building to demonstrate.

Thomas said when Mitchell came on as CEO last October the union informed him of managers getting paid who “did nothing.” Thomas said despite Mitchell getting an “inventory” of all the ills at EWMSC, he did nothing but give deadlines of November then December.

“We told him it have a situation where expensive medical supplies come into this institution, there is no record of how they are used and they disappear,” Thomas told the media. He also alleged that meals were being prepared at the kitchen for an NCRHA official to take home.

Thomas said the two workers (Lyndon Cowan and Dane Durham) were illegally dismissed. He said they spoke out about the dogs getting CT scans at the Radiology Department. Thomas warned that the union was not making any deals with the NCRHA and “the protest will continue.” In a release, the NCRHA said matters brought to its attention were being addressed and a commitment was given “to speedily deal with these matters raised by the PSA.” The release said subsequent meetings were scheduled to resolve the issues raised.

Approached at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital for comment on the situation, Health Minister John Rahael was visibly annoyed by the protest and reminded workers they were part of the essential services. He said it was “irresponsible” for the PSA to call for a work stoppage and appealed for workers to continue working since lives were at stake. Rahael said, “any issue or problem you have we are addressing it.” He appealed for workers not to be misled.

Rahael said, “are they protesting two employees out of thousands were disciplined for being dismissed for their non attendance on the job. We cannot continue to condone poor performance.”

Rahael said increments and allowances were addressed in 2004-2005 and any outstanding was because of “discrepancies”. He said a committee was formed to deal with the outstanding monies.