MORE WORK, NO PAY

MBABANE – Workers usually boycott work when their employer delays to pay their salaries for a couple of weeks but about 50 paramedics have worked for approximately three years without a salary.

From 8am to 5 pm, including night shifts, the paramedics who joined the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as interns have been reporting for work for the past three years without receiving any payment, compensation or some form of allowance.
This is due to the fact that they asked to volunteer for work in order to get exposure and experience that will stand them in good stead for a permanent job at EMS.

The EMS department is under the Ministry of Health.
As the years went by, they have gone impatient with this work arrangement as the government was not employing them.

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Paramedics offer pre-health care to the public during emergencies and crisis such as accidents and health crises related to emerging epidemics.
They offer ambulance services to the public who dial the emergency toll free number; 977 for assistance.
A paramedic’s basic salary is E6 828 per month, rising to E7 685 while a senior paramedic earns E8 223 per month, rising to E9 255.

“How can you be at work from 6 pm to 6am for no salary? This is a pathetic scenario. I ask for money to buy soap and food from my parents and relatives. I have been doing that for the past three years,” one of the disgruntled trainees said.
“During Christmas, we have nothing to show yet people regard us as employees. We can’t blame the EMS management. The problem is with the Ministry of Health and CSC for failing to confirm us as permanent employees.”
The disgruntled paramedics approached the Times SUNDAY to complain about working for free. They spoke on condition of anonymity.

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