The Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has announced that its members will embark on a nationwide strike beginning Friday, July 31st.
The Association argues that almost a year after the Chief of Staff directed the Finance Ministry to address grievances of pharmacists related to their placement on the single spine salary structure, the Ministry has failed to adhere.
“It is regrettable that since 8th August 2014 when the Chief of Staff directed the Ministry of Finance to implement the roadmap for resolving the salary grievances of pharmacists in the public sector, following a Sub-Cabinet Committee report. However, the Finance Ministry has demonstrated a clear unwillingness to carry out the directive,” a statement from GHOSPA added.
If the industrial action comes to effect on the announced date, pharmacists in public health facilities are expected to withdraw their services to out-patients.
The statement further added that “…unless and until we receive an express undertaking for the execution of the Chief of Staff’s directive, we will not return to work. We want to reiterate that, this well-thought-out recommended action has come from the membership who have patiently waited.”
Meanwhile, explaining the association’s position in an interview with Citi News, the National Chairman of GHOPSA, Stephen Coquaye said the Finance Ministry should be blamed for their intended action.
“We’ve gone to the Labour Commission several times, they said they are going to call the minister to answer, but it has not yielded any positive results. So we have written to the National Labour Commission that on 31st of July if we don’t hear anything we will embark on a strike. We have gone through so much processes and after four years, nothing has changed,” he added.
