The Ministry of Health has appealed to the leadership of the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union (MELPWU) to reconsider their decision to strike, which began on Monday, June 17, 2024, and return to the negotiation table with the Government Negotiation Teams over their conditions of service.

The strike by the health professionals aims to urge the government to approve and implement their proposed conditions of service.

A statement from the Ministry of Health emphasized that the government negotiation team, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), is actively negotiating and urged the aggrieved workers to exercise patience as the team expedites the process.

The statement highlighted that the government’s negotiation team, led by the FWSC, has had extensive engagements with MELPWU since 2023 and is guided by both internal and external relativities.

It noted that the majority of the items proposed by MELPWU have been agreed upon by the Government Negotiation Team. However, the Uniform, Special Project, Unsociable, and Communication allowances proposed by the Union are still under various stages of negotiation.

The Ministry of Health assured MELPWU of its utmost cooperation and respect for their dedication to their members' welfare but urged that in the spirit of cooperation, the strike be called off as soon as possible.