HOURS before conciliation talks were due to begin, yesterday, between the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Ministry of Labour, nurses at several publicly-owned hospitals reportedly were on a ‘sick-out’ as they intensified industrial action to pressure government into paying more than a five percent back-pay for 2013.

Several union officials and workers confirmed that sick-out was underway at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), New Amsterdam Hospital, West Demerara Regional Hospital and the Linden Hospital Complex.
Feedback about the effectiveness of the two-day sick-out, which ends today, is, however, unclear.
At least one union official indicated that he does not expect a 100 percent favourable response, since some nurses are still attending to their duties at the various hospitals.
Top officials of the GPSU are accusing management of the Linden Hospital Complex of threatening to regard workers reporting sick as absent, with the ultimate aim of deducting pay.
Officials, however, noted that legally workers can report sick up to three days after which they must submit a medical certificate.
The GPSU is demanding an interim 15 percent pay increase for this year, and the start of negotiations for an overall 25 percent hike.
But government has been repeatedly saying that it could afford to pay only five percent.