Johannesburg - Health workers belonging to the Workers Indaba Trade Union (Haitu) marched to the Gauteng Department of Health offices to demand full-time employment instead of contract work.
They were joined by the Independent Liberation and Allied Workers Union (ILAWU) as they marched and delivered their memorandum of demands to the Gauteng Department of Health.
Haitu Gauteng Chairperson Bafana Tshabalala said there is a shortage of permanently employed health workers who were hired as part of the Covid-19 contracts.
"We have, as it is, a massive shortage of healthcare workers in the system. However, this government wants to release those who are on contract. We are, therefore, demanding that all workers who were employed through Covid-19 contracts be permanently employed in the system."
"All community service nurses are permanently in the system. All EPWP are permanently in the system; all security service personnel are insourced because this government continues to spend exorbitant amounts of money to outsource security services," Tshabalala said ahead of the march.
The union said their members were being exploited by the department, which refuses to make them permanent employees.
"The employer is well aware that under Section 198B of the Labour Relations Act, an employee who has been employed by a company on a fixed-term basis for longer than three months can be considered to be a permanent employee," Tshabalala added.
The union has made seven demands detailed in their memorandum of demands. These include permanent employment of all Covid-19 contract workers, permanent employment of all nurses and EPWP workers, the end of outsourcing of security services, the retention of R171 training, the absorption of post-community service nurses, and an inquiry into the exodus of senior officials.
The Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, confirmed that it had received the memorandum from the two unions, saying many of the issues raised were already being addressed.
"It is worth noting that many of the issues are matters that have been subject to engagements at the consultative structures. However, some of the claims made in the memorandum relating to allegations of practices of nepotism and cronyism will require substantial evidence to be provided to enable the allegations to be further probed. The department once again confirms that it will be tabling a formal response to HAITU on the seven demands they made," Modiba said.
The Star