A day after the deadline they gave the board of directors of the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre to address their grievances, the executive of the Antigua and Barbuda Nurses Association (ABNA) will be meeting with the government’s negotiating team.
Late last month, the nurses who have complained bitterly about a reportedly toxic work environment, exacerbated by staff shortages and a lack of key equipment, were told their concerns were being addressed with urgency.
Following a meeting in September, the nursing body issued a threat to the hospital’s board pledging to take action if their long-standing needs were not met imminently.
A strongly-worded letter sent to Observer in August – signed by more than a dozen nurses – highlighted a string of work-related concerns which also included inadequate risk and uniform allowances, along with a lack of benefits for further education, and pensions.
The ABNA initially gave the board one month to address their concerns, failing which they would take undisclosed action.
That deadline was initially set to expire on October 4 but was later extended to October 26.
ABNA’s President Soria Dupie-Winston told Observer yesterday that nurses’ needs have not been satisfied and, after some discussion, they agreed to deal with the hospital board afterwards.