Samoa Medical Association delays night shift decision

Staff Reporters

APIA, SAMOA – 02 JULY 2023: Medical doctors have delayed their decision to stick to an 800am-500pm work shift and is giving the Public Service Commission one week to have everything they have proposed down in writing. They have also asked PSC to keep the door open for further negotiations.

The Association came to the decision Friday 30 June after a four hour long meeting. It was to implement an 800-500 work schedule with no doctors to work night shifts until the issue of overtime and allowances was settled with the Public Service Commission.

Last week, the PSC proposed paying overtime at the normal rate of pay for all permanent employees at their existing salaries up to the level of $68,695 per annum. PSC says this is a substantial deviation or increase from the fixed rate of $18,494 currently applied to all other essential services.

The offer also included Contract Employees who are not entitled to overtime, considered a Responsibility Allowance at the range of 30% to 60% of basic salaries. PSC said the Responsibility Allowance comprises of all other Allowances received under the Labour and Employment Relations Act 2013; on-call allowances, call back allowance, emergency allowance and health and safety allowance.

“In essence Contract Officers in the Health Services including Doctors will receive an additional 50-60% increase on top of their base salaries without any pay cuts as currently speculated,” said the PSC.

These changes came in to effect on Saturday 01 July 2023 and the doctors are back at work and delaying the decision not to work night shifts to wait what they have asked PSC to have things in writing.

The Samoa Medical Association President, Taulealeausumai Dr. Titi Ramese, Dr. Monalisa Punivalu and Dr. Folototo Leavai told the media there are things on offer that are positive.

“There are things PSC is offering but need to be in writing. As well, there as some good things on offer that are beneficial that must have been implemented a long time ago.”

Members at the Samoa Medical Associations meeting last Friday.

In Parliament, the Minister of Heath Valasi Togamaga Tafito Selesele was very blunt in explaining the issues with the medical profession were rooted in the failure to implement the merge of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Services after it was split as two entities in 2006.

To compound matters, the two entities worked on two sets of work guidelines, MOH under the Public Service Commission and NHS under the Labour Relations Act that saw unlimited overtime for staff that the Ministry was unable to pay and remained an issues being carried through for five years.

A HRPP Cabinet decision ordered the merge to be implemented 01 January 2019.

The Minster also inferred the Association was being political and called on the few leading the protest to hang up their medical gowns and run for parliament.

The Association Executive said their issues are not political and they are not supporting any political party.

“We’re only asking for clarity as well as resolving the overtime issues,” said SMA Executive.

“We are saddened that we asked for a chance to discuss issues with the Government and we got a stern and threatening response for us to sign what has been given us by the Government that comes into effect tomorrow (01 July).”

SMA said there was not enough time for consultations and has been rushed by the Public Service Commission.

“The Samoa Medical Association said they find it unacceptable the statements made by the Prime Minister and their Minister in parliament that had belittled the service provided by doctors and they felt unprotected by their Minister.”

At the moment, there are 92 doctors serving the country and SMA said it would not have pushed for a salary increase had there been enough doctors.

The Association said that the last time they had a pay rise was in 2013 after they went on strike in 2005 and are still on those salary levels.

However, one of the major changes PSC is now laying out is a salary structure for medical doctors to guide remuneration based on qualifications, length of service and experience.

The Association is also asking PSC to keep the door open for negotiations for the conditions that are now in effect as of 01 July 2023 to be in writing.

But SAM said its’ decision not to work night shifts after 5.00 will be implemented if PSC will not hold its side of the bargain after one week.

SMA concluded by asking the public not to panic as everything is alright and that they will be back to normal work as of Saturday 01 July 2023.