via Doctors condemn salary cut threats 08/12/2014
DOCTORS have condemned threats to cut their December salaries and demanded an urgent meeting with the permanent secretary in the ministry of health over the issue.
This follows recent reports that government intends to cut the doctors’ December salaries for their absence from work during the time they were participating in an industrial action.
The doctors downed their tools between the 27th of October 2014 and the 13th of November rejecting the government’s decision to move them to shared accommodation in a bid to scrap the monthly $300 housing allowance.
However, they returned to work before their grievances were resolved following negotiations with government.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) said members countrywide were being threatened and harassed by their supervisors over their participation in the industrial action.
“At Harare Hospital specifically one errant and ill-advised CEO has been reportedly issuing out statements and notices to doctors that their salaries for December will be reviewed downwards by a $100,” read the statement.
The association said it viewed that development “as an act of utter insincerity, arrogance, implementation of wrong administrative policies and complete disregard of the negotiations between the ZHDA and the Ministry of Health”.
The association also said should the decision to cut salaries be implemented its members will “not hesitate to immediately withdraw their services”. The doctors warned that in such an eventuality they will “not take responsibility for the harmful consequences attached to such a blunderous decision”.
The ZHDA called on government to urgently act by summoning ministry officials who are bent on implementing the proposed salary cut.
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