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Friday, March 29, 2024

Probe on Cebu hospital sought

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The Gabriela Women’s Party on Monday sought a congressional probe into what it described as unfair labor practice done by the management of a privately-run hospital in Cebu. 

In filing House Resolution 2682, Gabriela party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus urged the House committee on labor and employment to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the operations of the Cebu Maternity House Independent Employees Union following complaints from some of its workers which were elevated to Congress through the Gabriela.

De Jesus stressed the need for Congress to probe into the hospital’s alleged “unfair labor practice and illegal lockout that violated the rights of its health workers and the resulting denial of access by women to maternal health services.”

Founded in 1920 by the Cebu Women’s Club, the facility also known as Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House, employs 12 resident doctors, 63 nurses and midwives, four medical technicians, two dieticians and 59 support staff that serve 25,000 patients annually.

After collective bargaining agreement for a P20 daily pay raise last March 2015, De Jesus said the management abruptly changed its offer to one peso on the say-so of the hospital board of trustees. The board from then on refused to meet with the union on the bargaining table, the lady lawmaker added, citing complaints from CMHIEU workers.

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De Jesus said on January 29th, the hospital stopped admitting patients by declaring “temporary cessation of operations due to labor conflict and impending strike.”

“On International Women’s Day on March 8, the union staged a fasting protest action to draw attention to the rights of Cebu women to access to affordable health care that were compromised by the standoff,” De Jesus said.

A week later, the hospital barred entry to some workers from the hospital, prompting the workers to seek help from the Gabriela Party-list leaders in the city, she added.

De Jesus pointed out: “Gabriela sides with the workers’ view that the one peso wage increase proposal is an insult for the health workers, a heartless response on the part of the management, and a complete disregard of the workers’ right to a decent wage.

Their situation is a reflection of the current state of the country’s health workers who endure low wages under a privatized health system, De Jesus said.

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