The Government's Chief Secretary, and the Departments of Health and Personnel Management have given an undertaking to look into demands of a pay increase for nurses around the country. PNG Nurses Association President, Steven Nawik, told Radio Australia, a meeting between the parties this morning (Friday 11.11.16), have resolved to formulate an instrument by close of business today that will ensure nurses are paid a rise. As many as 4,000 hospital nurses have walked off the job throughout the country in protest of the raise which was agreed but failed to come into force last month. "All the hospitals and all the rural health settings have all stand down from their duties as of 8 o'clock this morning (Friday 11.11). "We've just have had a meeting with Chief Secretary and the department of personnel management and department of health. "They've given some undertakings, they are now formulating the instrument which will be circulated to all the facilities to do the payments. "So we are waiting for that instrument to be released before close of business today (Friday 11.11)." In East Sepik, Nurses continued their strike action (yesterday) despite assurance from the P-N-G Nurses Association, that the government has responded positively to their demands. In a circular delivered to the nurses in Wewak, their demands will be met and this will take effect on Pay Number 25 of 2016. But despite this, over 100 members of the P-N-G Nurses Association in East Sepik are continuing the strike. Funding has been secured for the implementation of the new anf increase allowances for nursing officers in PNG Nurses Association award 2016 to 18. According to the circular, there has been delayed and the allowance will be made payable on pay # 25 of 2016. The circular also explains that the delay in the earlier announcement was caused by the time needed to proper consider the new rate in the government payroll system and secure sufficient funding for implementation of all the increases covered in the award. All the allowances will be now be backdated to 1st January 2016. In Milne Bay, Nurses at the Alotau Provincial Hospital returned to work after walking off their jobs on Thursday and half day today (Friday 11.11). On Thursday they joined their counterparts nationwide in a sit in protest, but around 11-ay-am today (Friday 11.11), they confirmed receiving instructions from the executives of P-N-G Nurses Association in Port Moresby, to return to work. Some 150 nursing officers at the Alotau provincial hospital, financial members of the PNG Nurses Association began a sit in strike on Thursday when we caught up with them. "The meeting was convened yesterday (Thursday) where all the nurses that attended the meeting confirmed to go on strike today (Friday) so yes, you can see from the background we have a Milne Bay Nurses representing rural nurses too who are on sit-in strike at the moment." At around lunch time today (Friday 11.11), Milne Bay branch president sister Grace Mark confirms receiving word from the executives in Port Moresby that signed instruments for their nurses award from the department of personnel management was on hand and ready for implementation. She had then instructed members to return to work soon after. The nurses went on a sit in strike action for the overdue nurses awards that were NOT renewed since 2013. It includes on-call and risk allowances among others. Radio Australia Next News >> Aust: We're not cutting HIV funding in Papua New Guinea
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