Update
GEORGE NEWS - All cleaning services resumed at George Hospital on Monday 4 November. This follows after a four-day strike by staff of Samcho cleaning services.
District spokesperson for the Department of Health Nadia Ferreira said a contingency plan was put into effect for the weekend to address the shortage of cleaning staff.
"Due to the reactivity and teamwork of the George Hospital staff, no services were curtailed during this period of strike. We would like to thank the staff of George Hospital for this," said Ferreira.
"There were discussions with the contractor and all services have resumed since Monday."
Non-payment
The cleaning staff went on strike on Thursday 31 October, following alleged non-payment of their monthly salaries for October.
They are employed by Samcho cleaning services, which is contracted by George Provincial Hospital. Samcho did not respond to any queries regarding the matter.
According to the workers’ union representative, Clarence Mtyenele, the deputy general secretary at Bwawusa (Building, Wood & Allied Workers Union of SA), they did eventually receive their salaries.
He said the Department of Health was pressured into paying the contractor earlier, so that the members could be paid and cleaning services could continue.
"Samcho told workers last week that the hospital has not paid them yet," said Mtyenele.
This was strongly denied by the department. Ferreira said last week that there were no outstanding payments to the cleaning service provider.
"The service provider receives payment as agreed in the contract between the hospital and the company. Non-payment of cleaning staff is unfortunate, and we do understand their frustration, but it is not due to outstanding payments from the hospital."
Many contracts
Mtyenele expressed his concern for the future, saying they've requested George Hospital to acquire the services of another company.
"My biggest concern is that this company has been with the department for the last ten years and they are enjoying contracts throughout the Western Cape hospitals.
"The question that one must ask is how many workers have been affected with this kind of situation, with late payment or non-payment? If they get terminated in George, there will still be others affected by this company."
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