Health workers have raised concern over the unilateral cancellation of the flexi hours working system by the government saying the reason behind the move has not been addressed.
Cabinet early this week announced that it had cancelled the flexi hours to ensure availability of health staff at all institutions.
In a letter to the Health Services Board, Zimbabwe Health Apex highlighted that there are issues that were not considered by the cabinet when they cancelled the flexi hours system.
“The reason that motivated the flexi hour system has not been addressed, employees are now more incapacitated as a result of wanton and unrestrained price increase during this lockdown period. However there has been no adequate review of remuneration,” reads the letter.
The collective bargaining agreement stated that the principle of flexible hours would be in place until there was an adequate review of remuneration.
The Health Apex also said that the waived tax is negligible compared to the soaring prices of basic goods to the extent that for some employees, the tax amount would not be enough to cover the cost of a bottle of cooking oil and a pack of mealie-meal.
“Separate transportation is essential to reduce the workers to COVID-19 exposure as they travel to and from work putting in mind that the health workers are also a danger to the public as they come in contact with COVID-19 patients,”
“The government has not been able to provide adequate numbers of PPE whilst the flexi hours where still being implemented hence more PPE will be in demand as more health workers are now reporting for work every day,”
“The government must try to decongest the hospitals to make social distancing achievable,” further reads the letter.
Health workers threatened to withdraw their labour should their employer implement the Cabinet directives.
