After much negotiations, the Bahamas Nurses Union has signed a new industrial agreement with the government. The new five year agreement will give nurses new salary increases and benefits. Minister of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville said, “nurses account for the backbone of health care services and as minister I’ve had the opportunity to meet nurses from Inaqua all the way to Grand Cay, in our hospitals, in our clinics here in New Providence and Grand Bahama. I always say that with Amancha fighting for you things will get done.”
Included in the agreement is a new career path, increased uniform, responsibility and scarcity allowance and increments. President of the Bahamas Nurses Union, Amancha Williams said, “we’ve even created a pandemic and disaster article in there that gives the nurse a $10 increase onto her salary during a pandemic or a disaster. we’ve had a insurance in there, dying in the line of duty over $100,000. We say thank you. A scarcity allowance for a TCN was $167 and it was $200 for the RN. We have increased that by $60 more, so that’s $300 for the staff nurse and $200 plus dollars for the TCN.”
One of the nurses in attendance at the signing said of the agreement that history has been made and that this agreement was years in the making. She also expressed her gratitude and that of other nurses.
This agreement is the latest in industrial agreements being negotiated, agreed and signed between government agencies and various unions around the country.
