Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
Representatives of the Gauteng Health Department and several trade unions met today to pursue consultation on the Department's Structural Transformation Plan for public health services.
There have been several rounds of talks since the unions appointed a joint research team, which tabled a substantial report in response to the Department's plan. At today's meeting both parties stated that they were anxious to conclude the process of consultation speedily so that health workers would have certainty about how changes would affect them.
The original plan, which is being reviewed in the light of representations from the unions and other stakeholders, proposed the closure of three hospitals and the conversion of several others into community health centres. It also entailed the transfer of thousands of staff members.
In order to expedite matters, the Department and the unions agreed to set up a task team which would:
The task team will also deal with the principles and procedures to be applied in the transfer of staff.
The question of involuntary retrenchments has not been tabled and is not part of the current talks between the unions and the Department.
Released by: The Gauteng Health Department Democratic Nurses Association of SA Hospital Personnel Association Institute of Public Servants National Education Health & Allied Workers Union Public Servants Association
Inquiries (for clarification only) Jo-Anne Collinge Tel 082 574 5510
8 April 1997