Despite internal tension within the Public Services Association (PSA), president Watson Duke is assuring all members it is business as usual in the PSA.Duke, who spoke in an interview, said he wanted the membership to know that there "have been no disruptions in PSA business."He dismissed allegations that he had no access to PSA funds.He claimed that PSA executive members, who had been barred from the union, contacted the union's banks to try to have him blocked from accessing funds.Duke said despite their attempts, he still had access to the union's money and continued to carry out business with the banks.He said, too, that despite attacks on his presidency, the PSA was engaged with various ministries and government organisations, ensuring all job evaluations results were implemented.Duke said he met with Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan on Monday to discuss the employment status and payment of arrears to Regional Health Authority employees.
He said coming out of that meeting, it was agreed that more than 5,000 RHA employees, hired before 2007, would be made permanent.Regarding contract workers, he said Khan agreed to carry out a need assessment within the various RHAs to determine contract renewal.Duke said additionally all RHA workers would receive their adjusted salaries and arrears determined by the recently- implemented job evaluation exercise.He said Khan agreed to have these paid by the end of the month.Duke said the minister had also committed to establishing a financial committee to ensure arrears and salaries were dealt with immediately.