The move by the Government to appeal the High Court ruling that found the deduction of payments for striking Linden nurses to be unlawful, is being defended by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The High Court ordered that all of the money deducted from the salaries of the nurses during their strike, be repaid to them. The Government refused to follow the Court order, and has since indicated that it is moving to appeal the case.
At his press conference today, Mr. Jagdeo said the issue is bigger than just the strike.
He said the nurses who were on strike were disciplined using the measures which are provided for in law, explaining that the measures include termination, suspension or deductions from salary.
VP Jagdeo said that given that one of those methods was utilized and the Court found that the action was illegal, it is the view of the Government to protect those industrial principles that have always been used in disputes.
“The Court ruled in favor of the nurses but they believe that there is an industrial principle at stake here, that if this were to succeed that there will not be able to utilize that tool which is available often in the collective bargaining agreements or Laws of the country to discipline staff,” Mr. Jagdeo said.
In March 2021, the then management of the Linden Hospital, refused to pay the full salary for several nurses who were protesting over their working conditions, while calling for the removal of the then CEO.
The nurses, through the Guyana Public Service Union, filed Court action, and the High Court recently ruled in favour of the nurses, declaring that the deduction of the money from their salaries and the hospital’s management punishing them for absenteeism, were both unlawful.
“So it is a bigger issue at stake here, not just the nurses from Linden but an industrial principle that is at stake here, therefore the appeal,” the Vice President noted.
The Guyana Public Service Union, which filed the Court case on behalf of the nurses, said it found out that an appeal was being filed in the case, after it wrote to the Permanent Secretary requesting that the Ministry of Health follows the Court order and pay the nurses the money that was deducted.
In his response, the Permanent Secretary informed the union of the move to appeal.
The GPSU said the injustice that was committed on the workers should not be prolonged, adding that the workers continue to suffer from the unlawful act.
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