JMDA vows to press for jobs, better working conditions
Published:Friday | July 2, 2021 | 9:35 AM
The Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association (JMDA) says it will continue its fight to secure jobs of recently unemployed doctors and improved conditions of work.
The declaration comes after hundreds of junior doctors took industrial action yesterday, adversely affecting several hospitals.
They were upset about working conditions and the non-renewal of the employment contracts of more than 140 doctors, among other things.
Following meetings with Ministry of Health officials yesterday, the doctors agreed to go back to work today.
In a statement, the JMDA outlined the agreements that were reached:
* Six months and one-year contracts were reversed. As a result, these contracts will be amended to 2/3 year contracts to reflect the pre-negotiated Heads of Agreement.
* The offer for the payment of outstanding gratuities owed from 2014 has been received in writing and we have accepted for the payments to be made in increments until August 2021.
* The first payment will see 30% of doctors receiving their gratuity, then 40% will get in July and the remaining 30% in August.
* The doctors who have been owed the longest will be paid first and it will continue to the most recent and we will receive the list of doctors to be paid in each group.
* We stand by that each payment must be made within seven days of the proposed date.
The JMDA described the agreement as a tremendous collective feat.
However, the association said that the fight is far from over, noting that more than 100 doctors are still without jobs.
“These are the same doctors who have been integral in the battle against COVID-19 for all Jamaicans and for them to be currently unemployed is a shame,” the JMDA said in a statement.
“We will be continuing to advocate with both the Ministry of Health and Wellness and Ministry of Finance to do all we can to get as many of these doctors employed as quickly as possible.”
The association said that with its renewed energy, it vows to press on addressing all the continued issues facing doctors, such as working conditions, employment posts and leave benefits.
“We are truly grateful that all doctors were willing to show that we are indeed necessary and integral to the health system of Jamaica.”
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