EMPLOYEES AT THE Psychiatric Hospital went back to work this morning following a near three hour strike.
Union representative Caswell Franklyn of Unity Trade Union advised the workers to return to work after he met with management of the hospital including acting director David Leacock.
The workers walked off the job in solidarity with staff nurse Rudolph Dates, who was suspended last Monday by Leacock for a number of alleged offences which supposedly occurred within the last two years.
However the upset workers are also claiming a number of other grievances such as unfair treatment, working in deplorable conditions, not being paid for overtime, among others.
Franklyn said he advised the 24 workers, mainly staff nurse and nursing assistants, to return to their jobs pending a meeting with the chief personnel officer Gail Atkins.
The union leader told the DAILY NATION that the acting deputy director had exceeded his authority by suspending Dates for alleged offences which occurred over the past two years.
Quoting form the Public Service Act, he charged that management could bring disciplinary action within two weeks of the offence taking place and not two years.
Franklyn said he telephoned Atkins days before the strike seeking an audience with her but no response had been forthcoming to his request. (MB)
