Union calls on MEC to intervene at Bara

Nehawu has described the management at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital as irresponsible and incompetent.

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Johannesburg - The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has described the management at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital as irresponsible and incompetent.

The union marched to the hospital on Wednesday to hand over a memorandum addressed to Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and the head of department, in which it detailed its grievances.

Nehawu complained that management had disregarded due process when hiring 147 workers recently.

The union also alleged that the EFF had “captured” the hospital and infused it with “corrupt tendencies”.

“We cannot allow Bara to become a political playground where political parties will come and demand employment (while) disregarding employment processes,” the memorandum stated.

“If our employer succumbs to pressure from a political party, it is dangerous. This is a clear indication that we lack management with vision.”

The union alleged that when management employed the workers, it didn’t inform organised labour about the deviation from the recruitment process.

Nehawu also accused management of misleading the employment equity committee on the number of posts available. “The process was so flawed that no interviews were conducted (and) no screening was done. Contract employees, who have been cleaning the hospital for years, were overlooked.”

The union said there was a backlog in translations and payments of nurses and auxiliary nurses who were upgraded to staff nurses dating from 2012.

“In February 2015, the hospital board sponsored a relationship-building exercise. Management and shop stewards went to Parys (in the Free State) in an effort to improve relationships.

“This was an important exercise, which was led by labour relations. Once more, important resolutions were adopted. (Until) today, not a single resolution was implemented.”

The union blamed that on management’s unavailability each time a consultative forum was due to meet.

Nehawu made several demands, among them the removal of the 147 employed workers, proper engagement with unions as well as the immediate removal of the chief executive and human resource director and all managers allegedly involved in the corruption.

It also called for a forensic commission of inquiry to investigate the matter.

The Health Department’s spokesman, Steve Mabona, said the department would peruse the memorandum and attend to the demands.

“It must be noted that we have been in constant liaison with labour and we will continue to do so, to address all concerns,” Mabona said.

The EFF couldn’t be reached for comment.

vuyo.mkhize@inl.co.za

The Star