8 Dec 2003

Fiji Nurses Association remains opposed to latest pay offer

5:42 pm on 8 December 2003

The Fiji Nurses Association says it has rejected the latest offer from the Public Service Commission because it has questions over the new performance management system.

The association's general secretary, Kuini Lutua, says the offer late last week for a cost-of-living adjustment, still isn't acceptable.

She says nurses agree that performance has to be assessed but they want to see training put in place for those doing the assessment.

And, Ms Lutua says there are other issues surrounding the system that the nurses remain concerned about.

"It can work for public service employees but how do we bench mark a nurses performance if the nurse is not equipped with the proper equipment provided with the medications or the drugs that have to be used and with poor infrastructure where transportation and communication is a problem, there are things that might affect the performance of the civil servant."

The Public Service Association and the Fiji Teachers Union are the other two unions which have rejected the latest government offer.

But, three public sector unions have accepted a cost-of-living adjustment in return for implementing the new performance system from next year.