PARAMARIBO – The nurses at the RGD went on strike again last Monday because they still have not received a new collective labor agreement. Only the paramedics have been granted permission by the union to keep working.
The strike has a strong impact on the daily services within the RGD. The doctors at the RGD clinic worked until 9 a.m. last Monday. One of the doctors explained that it would be extremely difficult to open the clinics in the afternoon due to the personnel shortage. “It will be difficult to run the clinic in the afternoon without personnel,” said the doctor who added that there would be a meeting to determine if the clinics would be open in the afternoon this week. Union Chairman Rinaldo Herkul explained that the collective labor agreement has been on the table of management since November 2025 but the negotiations have stalled despite repeated attempts to conclude them. The union has demanded a salary increase with retroactive effect and other improvements for the workers. Herkul explained that the the financial obligations keep piling up because of the delay in the introduction of a new collective labor agreement. “When you stop negotiating in January or February you do not have to pay a lot of money. But if you wait until August, you are going to get troubles,” said Herkul who added that management was informed of the looking strike last Friday. Management had previously made an offer but it was rejected by the union members. Herkul made it clear that the new salary must be paid in September and that the workers must also receive a once-only payment of back payin the first week of September. He also made it clear that the labor strike cannot be ended without guarantees. As soon as management can give an indication about when the payments will take place, the strike can be ended.
