By Staff Writer
FILE PHOTO : Public support for doctors strike more than a decade and a half ago moving along Beach Road
The Samoa Medical Doctors Association will go ahead with its ‘work to rule’ strike by 12.00 mid-day this coming Friday, if the Public Service Commission, PSC, does not agree to delay the starting date for their new salary scale effective, Saturday 1 July 2023.
Under their ‘Work to Rule’ conditions, doctors will only work from 8.00am – 4.00pm Monday to Friday.
No one works during the weekends except for emergencies and to attend to patients in serious conditions.
The doctors decision was reached only a few hours ago today, Tuesday 27 June 2023, after meeting with the Ministry of Health CEO Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma and administrative staff.
“New issues we were not aware of before came up in today’s meeting so we now have a much better understanding of our salary and overtime entitlement concerns,” Association President Taule’ale’ausumai So’oalo Dr. Titi Lamese told Newsline Samoa Online.
The disagreement between the doctors and the PSC involves a complex salary scale system and overtime entitlements for the medical staff.
One disputed example is what is reportedly a drop in pay scale for senior doctors that is linked to overtimes the Medical Association does not agree with and is protesting against.
“Some of the young doctors have also been working 4-8 years on the same pay scale and it is not clear what loophole in the system is holding up new salary scales for them,” Taule’ale’ausumai listed among their many concerns.
“We had a very positive meeting today and what we want from here on is time to review all that we now know and to consider how we should move on from there.”
The next few days left before the new PSC salary scale becomes effective this coming Saturday, 1 July 2023, is too early for the doctors to review their new found insights.
The Medical Association President confirmed this to be the general consensus reached by members on how to moved ahead.
“We will need at least 3-6 months to review everything and then determine how we progress whether we need or not to hold more negotiations to resolve our disagreements.”
Newsline Samoa Online’s urgent attempts to reach the PSC Commissioner, Nonu Le Mauga Saleimoa Vaai, for a reaction was unsuccessful.
The doctors forced absence from providing medical treatment at the TTM Hospital is likely to affect other related health services essential for treatments to add more problems to the service.