LETTER OF THE DAY - A raw deal for nurses
Published:Saturday | May 11, 2013 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The long-awaited reclassification of Jamaican public-sector nurses has turned out to be a big disappointment for many. Approximately one year ago, photography in The Gleaner highlighted some very elated nurses when it was announced that 'Cabinet signs off on reclassification of public-sector nurses'.
These nurses would have anticipated much arising out of such reclassification exercise. To the contrary, these nurses are now realising that there was nothing significant to jump about.
As currently proposed by the Government, a graduate nurse with four years training and a BSc in nursing gets a measly starting salary of $71,000 per month before tax. Many of these nurses who have to fund their training with loans from the Students' Loan Bureau have their work cut out to repay the required $50,000 or more per month following graduation.
BREACH OF AGREEMENT
The hard-fought 2006-2008 negotiations between the Nurses' Association of Jamaica and the Government resulted in the inclusion of 'reclassification of nurses' as part of that Heads of Agreement. This was achieved after the minister of finance was convinced that registered nurses were significantly underpaid for various reasons but was obliged to observe the terms and conditions stipulated by MOU II.
A further memorandum of understanding stipulating an effective implementation date of July 2007 was signed jointly by the finance, health and labour ministries, the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) and the NAJ.
Indications are that there has been a breach of this agreement, with reluctance or refusal of the Government to observe the effective date. In accordance with figures in the final reclassification report, the starting salary for a graduate nurse was estimated at $67,500 per month before tax. Taking into account the effective date of the nurses' reclassification (July 2007), it is evident that most (approximately 75 per cent) of the 22% salary increase which came after in the 2008-2010 contract period would have subsumed into the reclassified salary scales.
As indicated in a previous article (July 10, 2010), the low values of scores in the "final reclassification report" would have negative implications for the health sector. Dissatisfaction within some health-sector groups, coupled with subjectivity among some individuals, has obviously impacted negatively on the ability for nurses to be equitably remunerated in Jamaica.
The economic pie may be small, but it should be equitably divided so that nurses are not subjected to the raw deal that is now being proposed.
NOEL JULIUS