State hospitals could grind to a halt if boiler operators are not paid - Solidarity
Specialist employees who perform contract work for the Gauteng provincial government have not received their overtime, night shift or Sunday pay for the past 10 months, the trade union Solidarity said today. Hospitals on the East and West Rand could grind to a halt if employees with scarce skills decided to resign.
"Boiler operators who work on boilers at hospitals in these areas were advised by the Department to wait until the new book year for their outstanding pay. These operators perform their duties under dangerous circumstances and often work after hours. Hospitals rely heavily on steam. Steam is necessary for the functioning of stills in operating theatres, as well as kitchens, wall units, air conditioning and the hot and cold water supply," said Dirk Groenewald, head of Solidarity's Labour Court Division.
The Impophoma Infrastructure Support Entity (IISE), a trade entity of the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport tasked with improving service delivery in respect of infrastructure in the Gauteng provincial government, approached contractors to carry out maintenance on the boilers in state hospitals. The IISE was shut down and the persons employed there were taken on by the Department to do the same work.
"The ex-managers of the IISE as well as the Department's management continually make empty promises to employees regarding their pay. These employees are extremely valuable. Their work is amongst the most dangerous maintenance work done in a hospital and is highly specialised. Many employees have already resigned, which is potentially disastrous, seeing that there is shortage of boiler operators in the country," said Groenewald.
Members of Solidarity handed a memorandum to the Department last month and the trade union has prepared court documents on the matter. Solidarity members on the West Rand are responsible for the maintenance of boilers at six state hospitals and some 30 employees in the area do not receive any pay aside from their basic salary. On the East Rand there are even more hospitals that rely on steam to function.
Statement issued by Dirk Groenewald, Head: Solidarity Labour Court Division, October 26 2010
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