Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association (TTRNA) would like to thank those nursing students and nursing personnel who came to support the union on Friday August 4th 2017, as they stood in solidarity with USC nursing students who have not been paid stipend since July 2016. This as expected, has caused significant distress to the students in their ability to fulfil their educational requirements during the school year, and meet their day to day expenditure.
This was a truly successful event, as evidenced by the numerous media coverage given the cause of the students on all major media streams. We call on the Minister of Education to ensure all outstanding stipend is made to the students by the end of the month, or TTRNA is prepared to take further action.
Those persons who came out to stand with their comrades and the wider union fraternity, understand the importance of coming out for a cause that may not directly affect themselves, but impact their work colleagues. This is an essential element in being part of a union. Responding to the call for help from others. Responding to a cause that is not your own. For rest assured, there will come a time when you will need help from others for your cause.
TTRNA also took the opportunity to highlight other issues affecting nursing personnel, including:
1. Decision to discontinue stipend to all incoming nursing students from all nursing schools.
2. Decision to discontinue rural allowance paid to newly hired nurses being employed at TRHA.
3. Discontinuation of CARICOM nurses working in the public sector, during a shortage of nursing staff.
4. Reduction of nursing pool staff that supplement the already short-staffed wards within the hospitals.
TTRNA will continue to in efforts to lobbying for the betterment of workers allotment, as we know there remains numerous areas of injustices being imposed upon nursing personnel, with let recourse in the past.
Long live TTRNA, Long live the Union movement, Long live solidarity!
