Members of Unity Workers’ Union (UWU) say fed-up nurses have lost confidence in the Barbados Nurses’ Association (BNA) and the National Union of Public Workers’ handling of their grievances with Government, and that is why they are rushing to join their eight-week-long protest.
Chairperson of the Nurses Division of the Caswell Franklyn-led UWU, Gillian Dowrich, speaking at a press conference at the union’s headquarters in Belleville, St Michael, said that from an initial cohort of 30 nurses, mainly from the Psychiatric Hospital, the numbers taking action had grown to 185 from all departments of the health sector.
However, BNA president Valerie Francis-Miller is insisting that her organisation has delivered for the nurses and will continue to do so. She told the MIDWEEK NATION there were ongoing negotiations, during which they hope to bring even more resolution to concerns of the health care providers.
The nurses have been protesting poor working conditions, hazards in relation to the COVID-19 variants, as well as other long-standing issues. They have staged marches through Bridgetown on January 6 and 17. Dowrich told reporters they had no intention of easing up the pressure. (CLM)
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