HEALTH workers have threatened to down tools if the government fails to resolve a simmering dispute over health-specific allowances and the recently completed job evaluation, accusing authorities of reneging on agreements reached in May.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) and the Health Apex Team say almost three months after the government agreed to review health-specific allowances through the Health Bipartite Negotiating Forum, workers are still waiting for a substantive response to proposals submitted to authorities. Government has publicly acknowledged that health workers’ remuneration concerns remain unresolved.
In July, Health and Child Care minster Douglas Mombeshora told Parliament that the government was considering a submission from health workers seeking increases in health-specific and risk allowances in line with prevailing economic conditions and available fiscal space.
Mombeshora said the matter was being handled by the ministries of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Finance.
ZINA president Enock Dongo, who is also Health Apex Team leader in the Health Bipartite Negotiating Forum, said the lack of movement was no longer acceptable.
