By MANDEEP SINGH
MORE than 120 Health Ministry drivers, excluding those in the Accident and Emergency Department, yesterday called off a two-day strike and dropped their overtime demands.
The move followed a meeting with ministry Under-Secretary Dr Aziz Hamza and Finance and Human Resources Assistant Under-Secretary Ebrahim Shehab.
The drivers had demanded two hours’ overtime during Ramadan, since they have to start work earlier than timings set by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) for government employees.
“Officials asserted this demand could not be met in the absence of a budget and the drivers were offered days off in lieu,” said a ministry spokesman.
By MANDEEP SINGH
MORE than 120 Health Ministry drivers, excluding those in the Accident and Emergency Department, yesterday called off a two-day strike and dropped their overtime demands.
The move followed a meeting with ministry Under-Secretary Dr Aziz Hamza and Finance and Human Resources Assistant Under-Secretary Ebrahim Shehab.
The drivers had demanded two hours’ overtime during Ramadan, since they have to start work earlier than timings set by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) for government employees.
“Officials asserted this demand could not be met in the absence of a budget and the drivers were offered days off in lieu,” said a ministry spokesman.
He said the drivers initially declined the offer, but following discussions with ministry officials at the meeting they later agreed to it.
The strike is now officially cancelled and drivers will return to work today, said the spokesman.
The ministry had signed a BD2.8 million four-year contract with Avis Bahrain in July as part of an outsourcing plan for its transport services.
The deal involves supply of all kinds of vehicles, excluding ambulances, training drivers as well as supervising and managing operations.
Proposal
Avis Bahrain business head Greggory Rodrigues told the GDN that the company has offered the ministry 15 of its own drivers to take care of the “extra two hours” every day.
“This proposal has been accepted,” he said.
Mr Rodrigues said the ministry staff initially had some reservations about the new deal, but these doubts were soon dispelled.
“The role of Avis is restricted to supervising, training and managing operations,” he said.
Mr Rodrigues said Avis is also prohibited from interfering with the rights of the employees in line with the relevant laws of the CSB.
“However, employees must follow the procedures placed by the company related to running the operations in a successful and organised manner,” he said.
He said reports presented by the company to the ministry authorities on the performance of the employees would be helpful when promotions or incentives are considered.
Ministry services acting director Mahmood Habib Ibrahim said in a circular issued to the Transportation Department that the drivers would be entitled to 26 hours’ overtime in one month, but that would be ‘paid’ in the form of three and a quarter days of leave, added into their leave bank.
mandeep@gdn.com.bh
