Nurses And Doctors Banned From Striking Under New Law
A new law in Zimbabwe is set to ban doctors, nurses, and other health professionals from going on strike, marking a significant shift in the country’s labour landscape.
The Public Service Amendment Bill, published in the Government Gazette and approved by Cabinet, introduces sweeping reforms for public servants — including those working in the health sector.
Health Strikes To Be Outlawed
Clause 22 of the Bill is unambiguous.
“Subject to this Act,” it states, “members of the Public Service have the right to participate in collective job action unless they are employed in any department, service or section of the Public Service that has been declared to be an essential service.”
This essentially removes the right to strike for doctors, nurses, and other professionals providing critical health services.
The definition of what counts as “essential” is laid out in Clause 3:
“Essential service means any department, section or part of the Public Service, which, when interrupted, would endanger, immediately, the life, personal safety or health of any person.”
By this definition, all public health institutions fall under “essential services”, effectively outlawing industrial action across the entire public health sector.
This move follows years of strike actions by healthcare workers, often over salaries, working conditions, and lack of basic equipment. In the past, prolonged strikes crippled major referral hospitals and saw critical operations suspended.
The Bill appears aimed at halting this pattern.
Strikes Blamed For Patient Deaths
According to the Herald, the law is a direct response to past disruptions.
“Major referral hospitals have in the past been paralysed after health workers embarked on a collective job action,” the report noted. “This resulted in the deaths of many patients and disruption of services.”
Government insists that the law is about saving lives and complying with the Constitution, which guarantees the right to health care.
The Bill now requires health professionals to explore alternatives to industrial action, such as negotiation or arbitration.
Other Key Changes In The Bill
In addition to the strike ban, the Public Service Amendment Bill introduces two other significant changes:
- Maternity Leave: Clause 23 grants all female public servants 98 days of maternity leave on full pay.
- No Politics While Employed: Civil servants will now have 30 days to resign if they assume political office. This includes becoming a Member of Parliament or councillor.
Additionally, Public Service Commissioners will now be required to declare their assets under the new law.
The Bill is set to be tabled in Parliament soon for debate.
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The post New Law To Ban Strikes By Zimbabwean Doctors And Nurses appeared first on iHarare News.
