Private lab scientists threaten to join strike

Private laboratory scientists have threatened to join the ongoing strike by their counterparts in the public sector if government does not resolve the latter’s grievances. According to the Association of Private Medical Laboratories, the strike by the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) is taking a toll on their services and they have no option than to join their colleagues. This they are convinced will get government to listen to the cries of GAMLS. The scientists on Monday, May 28 declared a strike by asking members to withdraw their services. They are demanding better conditions of service as regards their level on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). In their statement to declare strike, GAMLS said some medical superintendents and directors threatened them with intimidation when they began their agitations. “It is clear that they do not have our welfare and that of the public at heart.” Speaking on 3FM’s Late Edition on Thursday, General Secretary for the Association of Private Medical Laboratories Alabira Iddrisu Alhassan said they are giving government up till two weeks, failure of which they will also withdraw their services. He explained that government is not lending a listening ear to the striking laboratory scientists because of the services being rendered by the private medical facilities. But patients in the rural areas are suffering, he noted, aside the strain on some major hospitals in Ghana. Meanwhile, the medical laboratory scientists say they are waiting for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) from the Ministry of Health before they call off their strike. The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, had told Parliament on Wednesday that following a meeting with leadership of the striking workers the previous day, the strike will be suspended. By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana Follow @kwame_amoh]]>