ERMS workers protest about overtime payment issue

The Department of Health in the King Cetshwayo district is investigating allegations that some ERMS workers have not been paid their overtime.

On Thursday scores of emergency workers staged a protest inside the ERMS offices in Cooper Drive, Empangeni, demanding their overtime compensation.

One of the employees, who asked not to be named, criticised management for giving them ’empty promises’.

‘When we queried our overtime payment last week, they promised we would receive our money today (Thursday), but this did not happen.

‘We’ve been struggling to get our overtime compensation included in our salaries since December.

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‘This overtime money is now paid separately four days after payday, but they only pay a few of us and the rest have to struggle to receive their overtime compensation.

‘This month again, some of us were not paid overtime,’ the employee said.

The workers threatened not to start work until their grievance is attended to.

‘There are many people who need our assistance right now, but we are not going out until this matter is resolved.’

She also explained they did not involve their unions because ‘they sleep in the same bed with the bosses’.

Local Department of Health spokesperson Sibongiseni Manqele said even though the workers had no written complaints on record, the department decided to investigate.

‘The matter is being attended to and for now the situation is back to normal.’

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