Malawi nurses’ strike to go ahead: Demand for salary increase
National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (Nonm) says a two-day planned strike starting from Monday next will go ahead as government has not come up with substantial offer.
The nation’s top nursing body is joining the industrial action being organised by the Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) in protest against what has been described as meagre salaries and poor working conditions.
President of Nonm, Abraham Gama said it was only fair that the salaries of nurses and midwives as well as all Public Servants be increased to meet the high cost of living prevailing in the country.
“Nurses just like any civil servant, are not spared from the economic hardship,” Gama said,
“Despite devaluation, government has not adjusted our salaries. The cost of living is high.
“The sit-in is a welcome move indeed.”
President of the CSTU, Eliah Kamphinda-Banda said a dialogue meeting with the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) has not been helpful and that strike is a last resort as Public Servants were tired of being given a raw deal.
“The civil servants’ morale is now too low and we advise all civil servants not to report for work on 11th and 12th February,” Kamphinda-Banda said.
He said civil servants have advised the union not to call off the stay away until all the demands have been met.
Kamphinda-Banda said they will only avert the strike if government can come up with a circular to say salaries and allowances have been revised upwards and that the expenditure control measures have been put on hold.
