Striking pharmacists warn against intimidation

Striking Government and hospital pharmacists have served notice they will not to tolerate any act of intimidation against them by heads and management of teaching hospitals in the country.

They have contended to resist any attempt to sabotage the welfare of pharmacists, and also resolved to remain on strike till their grievances which led to the strike action are duly resolved.

‘We are on strike because of impunity on the part of FWSC. We are on strike because we demand justice, we demand fairness; we demand the orders of NLC after a painful two-year process be respected and complied with, or we remain steadfast and prepared for anything.

The Government and hospital pharmacists have been on strike over their market premium, and the ‘refusal’ of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to abide by the ruling of the National Labour Commission (NLC) on their salary disparities under the new salary structure.

The Ashanti Regional representatives of the Government and Hospital Pharmacist Association (GHOSPA), in a press conference at Kumasi, said they are not returning to work until pharmacists are placed on their appropriate salary levels -- and that Government should be held accountable for any unhealthy outcome of their strike action.

They expressed worry about ‘Government’s decision to set aside’ the ruling of the NLC and rather rely on a newly-formed committee to resolve the issue -- and further expressed misgivings about the Committee. 

The Committee was said not to be a Cabinet sub-committee as earlier proposed by the Health Minister and the Chief of Staff, and that its statutory mandate is unknown to GHOSPA. Again, they questioned the legal effect of the outcome from the Committee’s deliberations, and implications of its outcome on constitutionally mandated bodies like the NLC.

The Pharmacists indicated that they are aware of the huge revenue losses being incurred by health facilities as they remain on strike, and attempts by managers of some health facilities to ‘coerce’ their members to work will be firmly resisted.

They found it strange that the NLC to date is unwilling to activate Section 172 of the Labour Act, which they recently invoked to enforce a ruling against doctors for a decision they made on 10th April 2013.