Med techs' suspension sparks staff walkout
published: Friday | August 11, 2006

WESTERN BUREAU:

Some medical technologists at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay downed their tools yesterday and staged a protest as a show of solidarity for their suspended colleagues.

"Only emergency services are being handled until there is a full resumption of work," said Clinton Pickering, public relations officer for the Western Regional Health Authority, under which the hospital falls.

The protest has stemmed from a management decision to suspend four of 10 medical technologists who refused instructions to attend a European Union-funded workshop on 'Strengthening Quality Management Systems in Laboratories', held at the hospital between July 18 and 21.

The health authority sees the move by the technologists as a violation of its policy.