Not Paid Worthy, Nurse Polman Threatens Strike

Polman, Sulbarkita.com -- Hundreds of voluntary nurses with the Polman Community Alliance (AMP) held a demonstration in Polewali, Polewali Mandar District on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Demonstrators demanded the provision of decent wages, cancellation of unpaid recruitment of nurses and demanding revocation the decision to dismiss one of the voluntary nurses.

Met at the location of the action, Chairman of the Indonesian National Nurses Association (PPNI) Branch Polman, Rusdianto asked the Regional Government to immediately accommodate the demands. "Their fate must be considered, starting today all voluntary nurses will conduct a strike," he said.

According to Rusdianto, there were 2,220 nurses in Polman District and 711 volunteers. While the number of nurses in Polman Hospital is 247 voluntary nurses. And voluntary nurses on duty in all Public Health Centers (Puskesmas) in Polman are as many as 202 people.

Meanwhile, the action coordinator, Maemunis highlighted the fundamental rights of voluntary nurses who were not fulfilled. According to him, the calculation of the budget and the accumulation of the Regional Expenditure Budget (APBD) for Polman each year can meet the wages of 500 nurses, the amount of which is only two to three billion rupiah.

"It's not worth the cost of official travel with meals in government offices. The work of nurses is to save human lives. So today I ask all demonstrators for one word, one intention, today we strike," said Maemunis in his speech.

In addition, Maemunis said that as long as these voluntary nurses strike until their basic rights are met, no other party should intimidate. "I told the Resort Police Chief (Kapolres) Polman and the Commander of the Kodim (Dandim) Polman, if there was one of the nurses who went on strike this was disturbed, we would make a fuss at Polman," he said.

Responding to this, Deputy Chairperson of the Polman DPRD, Amiruddin hoped that a dialogue would be held. However, the protesters refused because the dialogue or Hearings Meeting (RDP) discussed the same problem frequently, but until now no solution has been found.

"I was hoping they would like to have a dialogue so that an official statement from the DPRD Polman appeared. Because if you want to sign just like that without any narrative the demand is ridiculous, "he said.

Director of Polman Hospital, dr. Syamsiah, when confirmed in her room, claimed to have fired the RSUD voluntary nurse on behalf of Sahida for violating ethics. While voluntary recruitment without salary demands is done so that voluntary nurses can hone their scientific discipline at the hospital.

"Poor knowledge also if it freezes because it is not sharpened, so we do recruitment of voluntary nurses," he said. The location of the demonstration was held at four points in Polewali, Polman Regency. The four locations were the Girl Building, the Polman DPRD Office, the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) and the Polman Regent's office.

Hundreds of these protesters moved hand in hand from one place to another with strict security guards. In its action, the masses put their signatures on white banners as a form of resistance and a sense of solidarity with the fate of voluntary nurses.

Ahmad G