PHA Responds to BDU Strike Vote

Wed, Dec 19th 2018, 06:00 PM

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) has been made aware of the results of a strike vote conducted by The Bahamas Doctors’ Union (BDU).

The underlying reason provided by the BDU for the strike vote is due to an alleged lack of payment by The PHA for holidays worked by some, if not all, of BDU members over the past several years.

Both parties have met over the past several months to discuss this pressing matter.

The PHA understands the junior doctors concerns regarding the lack of payment of these amounts and is desirous of settling the matter as quickly as possible; however, efforts to effect these payments have been hampered by the lack of compliance by BDU doctors with the automated system for time and attendance monitoring used throughout the Authority’s institutions.

Under the terms of the existing Industrial Agreement between the PHA and the BDU, junior doctors are eligible for payment at double time for all hours worked on holidays.

Similarly, under the terms of individual contracts and letters of appointment for each junior doctor, there is a specific requirement for each junior doctor to adhere to all policies of the PHA, including the use of its automated system for time and attendance monitoring.

To-date, there has been little adherence to this policy by the junior doctors which makes the task of confirming which employee is eligible for payment for working a holiday near to impossible. Given this non-compliance by the BDU members, the PHA has had to resort to offering an across-the-board holiday pay benefit to all junior doctors.

The PHA submitted its offer to the BDU during the month of November and established a meeting date to discuss the offer.

The BDU failed to attend the scheduled meeting, failed to submit a counter-proposal, and has failed to meet with the PHA to date.

The PHA is amenable to meeting with the BDU in order to bring this matter to a successful conclusion, and our door remains open to the union in the interest of our common goal of providing quality, consistent healthcare to our patients.

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