200 staff of Aspen Medical could go on strike from the 6th of February at 7am until the resolution of the dispute as the Construction Energy and Timber Workers Union of Fiji has given a strike notice to Aspen Medical.
CETWUF National Secretary John Paul says by law, they are required to give at least 14 days written notice of a strike to the employer and serve a copy to the Arbitration Court.
He says the strike notice was issued on Monday.
Paul says as always, they think about the people accessing services provided at the Lautoka and Ba Hospitals run by Aspen Medical and thus, have given the company some extra days with the hope that they negotiate with them and resolve the impasse.
He says Aspen is playing the blame game that it cannot enter into negotiation with the Union until they have clarity from the stakeholders on the Public Private Partnership agreement but this is insane.
Paul asks how can Aspen operate while ignoring workers’ claims for improvement in salary/wages and working conditions.
He says health workers are a very important workforce and it has been some years now that their grievances have not been addressed since Aspen took over the operations of Lautoka and Ba Hospitals.
The National Secretary says they have 200 members at the Lautoka and Ba Hospitals and are employed as cleaners, ward assistants, grounds staff, laundry hands, clinical coders, ward clerks, kitchen hands, chefs, procurement officers, laboratory staff, supervisors, security guards, drivers, CSSD attendants, assistant technicians, morgue assistants, cashier, administration staff and maintenance staff.
Paul says all of them have voted to go on strike and they are now eagerly waiting for February 6.
He says they had called on FNPF to intervene since it is the major shareholder in Health Care (Fiji) Pte Ltd, which is trading as Aspen Medical, but it did not say or do anything for the workers whose money it has invested in the Health Care Fiji.
Paul says they also called on the Coalition Government to intervene in the dispute as the previous government gave Aspen Medical a 23-year contract to upgrade Lautoka and Ba Hospitals under a Public Private Partnership arrangement, but nothing has happened.
He says CETWUF has had enough of the delaying tactics by Aspen Medical to come to the table and negotiate with them and resolve the dispute.
The National Secretary says workers are ready to go on strike, and people accessing services at Lautoka and Ba Hospitals should be prepared now for the strike action by workers in the categories stated.
Paul adds CETWUF has the support of the Fiji Trades Union Congress in the fight for justice for workers of Lautoka and Ba Hospitals.
While responding to questions by fijivillage News, Aspen Medical says they have met with CETWUF and also attended mediation with the union, and they have been informed of the process they are legally required to follow.
They say this matter now rests with the Government, and they await the decision.
Aspen Medical says the care and well-being of patients is their primary concern.
They add should this strike action go ahead, their contingency plan to provide uninterrupted healthcare services to the people of Fiji will be rolled out.
Questions have been sent to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad.
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