Thai nurses win right to civil-servant status after fight

[webfact]

Nurses win right to civil-servant status after fight
By THE NATION

 

 

Govt agrees to positions for all nurses at state hospitals within three years; ‘best we can do’: PM

 

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT has agreed to give civil-servant status to all nurses now working at state hospitals as employees or temporary employees within three years. 

 

The move followed nurses’ protests and threats to quit their jobs. 

 

“We will gradually recruit them to civil servant positions,” Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday. “This is the best we can offer now.” 

 

The prime minister was speaking after the Cabinet approved a plan to provide an additional 2,900 civil servant positions to nurses who are waiting for civil-servant status at state hospitals this year. 

 

The addition is on top of 2,200 civil servant positions that the Public Health Ministry has prepared for nurses. 

 

“I think nurses in general must be satisfied with the government response,” Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council’s vice-president Krisada Sawaengdee said. 

 

She believed nurses would not quit their jobs at state hospitals if the government gave assurances that they were going to be hired as civil servants within the next three years. 

 

Her council has long played an active role in putting nurses’ issues forward. For years, many nurses have been working hard at state hospitals either as the Public Health Ministry’s employees or temporary employees. 

 

As the government has pursued a goal of downsizing the civil service workforce, the Public Health Ministry has resolved to hire medical staff in the positions of employees or temporary employees. 

 

The ministry’s move aims to ensure that state hospitals have a big enough workforce to deliver services. But the problem is that all nurses at state hospitals hope for a civil-servant status, which promises better welfare and greater job security. 

 

When the wait for the status takes too long, many have quit to join private hospitals. Several others, meanwhile, have tried to fight for the improved status and staged demonstrations. 

 

At present, as many as 10,982 nurses work at state hospitals without civil-servant status. 

 

Tipawan Thabpha, a nurse without civil-servant status and a member of an employee nurse network, said her group would issue a clear stance after seeing the Cabinet’s order in writing. 

 

“Our next rallies may be staged to express a thank you,” she said.

 

So far, Tipawan said her network might seek further discussions on how to prevent new nurses from having to wait for a civil-servant status at state hospitals.

 

“About 3,000 new nurses have joined state hospitals every year, so there should be measures to help them. We will ask if the government will agree to automatically offer jobs and civil-servant status to graduates from (state-run) nursing schools the way doctor graduates enjoy,” she said. 

 

Nurses’ hope for job security

 

Number of nurses without civil-servant status at state hospitals: 10,992

Number of nurses that the Public Health Ministry plans to recruit as civil servants in 2017: 2,200

Number of nurses to receive civil-servant status through special quota approved by the Cabinet in 2017: 2,900

Number of new nurses at state hospitals each year: 3,000

Source: Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30315425

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-17

[webfact]

Cabinet gives nod to Health Ministry’s plan to hire nurses as government officials

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The cabinet has approved Public Health Ministry to accept as permanent staff nurses working at state hospitals as permanent employees within a three-year period, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha told the media after cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

 

The first group of 2,200 state nurses will be accepted this year, with the next two more groups of 2,900 each will be accepted within the next two years.

 

The prime minister said that although the government had attached importance to medical personnel, it had to look after officials in other government bodies as well.

 

He noted that it would not be possible for the government to keep on accepting nurses as permanent officials otherwise the state hospitals would be overloaded with nurses as hundreds of nurses are produced each year from nursing schools.

 

Moreover, he admitted that state hospitals could not afford to pay the same salaries paid by private hospitals to nurses.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/cabinet-gives-nod-health-ministrys-plan-hire-nurses-government-officials/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-05-17

[Rhys]

..psst.. they did this before... continue to force the issue... passing and meeting deadlines is not a Thai Politician strength, now is it?

[ezzra]

It was said that Thailand employs over 2 millions civil servants, so what's

few thousands more? is just more drain on the coffers and reserves..

just wondering if they will continue to wear their white attire or start

wearing those uniforms with ranks, badges and medals while attending

to the sic?..... 

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

How is it like to get a sponge bath from a civil servant? Does it take at least 6 of them to do each patient?

[darksidedog]

I am very glad to see the nurses winning. They do a great job, and have to do things I and many others wouldn't want to, so they deserve just rewards.

It is funny how once again our comical leadership flips track whenever their is an outcry. 2 days ago there could be no new positions until 2026.

[colinneil]

46 minutes ago, Dobredin Ghusputin said:

How is it like to get a sponge bath from a civil servant? Does it take at least 6 of them to do each patient?

How is it like to get a sponge bath from a civil servant?

Well it is the same as from another, please stop making wise cracks about 6 months.

All nurses, whether government or private, do a fantastic job.

 

[SABloke]

I am very glad to see the nurses winning. They do a great job, and have to do things I and many others wouldn't want to, so they deserve just rewards.
It is funny how once again our comical leadership flips track whenever their is an outcry. 2 days ago there could be no new positions until 2026.

Well, I'm.guessing this "agreement" is not worth the paper its written on: this is the same government that: promised no coup, promised no corruption (Read PM's well paid brother and co), promised elections, promised elections, promised elections and...promised elections

[IamNoone88]

Government nurses and teachers occupy the most important jobs in any country and rarely receive the recognition and rewards they deserve. I hope they continue to improve their status.

[mtls2005]

Interesting how the Junta pretty much caves when facing any protest which could spiral. (Krabi Coal Plant, Loei Gold Mine, Palm Oil, Nurses).

[mikebell]

5 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

Government nurses and teachers occupy the most important jobs in any country and rarely receive the recognition and rewards they deserve. I hope they continue to improve their status.

Agree about the nurses.  Not so sure about Thai teachers - how many deserve recognition/rewards for lording it over classrooms whilst keeping their students in blissful ignorance?

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

No sir this is not the best you can do, you can scrap the subs and tanks and employ these people immediately fulltime and at a decent wage. Then you will have billions left to build more hospitals. After you fire 1420 generals you will save enough to employ doctors and nurses to man these new hospitals. Then you stop only 30% of the corruption in the civil service for 1 year and you will have plenty to equip these hospitals. No sir you are wasting the countries scares resources on things the country don't need. Sir please go to any government hospital in any rural area and see what your people must endure, long waiting lines, badly equipped hospitals, over worked and under paid staff, low quality medicine and crumbling buildings.  Yet sir you choose to ignore the need of your people, well sir you will pay the price for this when they reject you.

[robblok]

45 minutes ago, SABloke said:

 

Well, I'm.guessing this "agreement" is not worth the paper its written on: this is the same government that: promised no coup, promised no corruption (Read PM's well paid brother and co), promised elections, promised elections, promised elections and...promised elections

 

Correct the agreement is not worth a thing in 2012 YL was in power they did a similar thing (exactly the same thing actually) .. and here we are.. still not done. 

Edited May 17, 2017 by robblok

[wvavin]

Almost nobody remembers this "agreement" in 3 years from now!

[williamgeorgeallen]

3 hours ago, Rhys said:

..psst.. they did this before... continue to force the issue... passing and meeting deadlines is not a Thai Politician strength, now is it?

guess the army is banking on being out of power by then and just pulling the strings from behind the curtain.

[YetAnother]

given the abhorrent state of public health here, they deserve it and more

[BEVUP]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Agree about the nurses.  Not so sure about Thai teachers - how many deserve recognition/rewards for lording it over classrooms whilst keeping their students in blissful ignorance?

Well they got what they wanted, thats all the benefits that come along with it - it certainly wasn,t about the money

Now they can go to the banks (like the teachers do ) & borrow all they like (maybe at cheaper interest rates ) & not have to worry as all their family will get full medical cover from the government & maybe they can throw in for the unpaid loans

[Eric Loh]

I guess that the reinstatement to civil servants status within 3 years would probably means the problem of financing the plan will pass on to the next government. Increase budget for military spending will therefore technically be safe. 

[kensisaket]

This is A typical of the way companies deal with unions.  Anyone who has worked in a union environment knows that union contracts are mostly negotiated to protect/enhance the benefits of their older members.  Appease the ones at the top and you will not be hearing many complaints.  

[Chris Lawrence]

They do a great job. Good luck with their efforts.

[Kabula]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I am very glad to see the nurses winning. They do a great job, and have to do things I and many others wouldn't want to, so they deserve just rewards.

It is funny how once again our comical leadership flips track whenever their is an outcry. 2 days ago there could be no new positions until 2026.

I love all nurses!

 

It appears only a partial win, but 3 years for a gradual change!  Sad...

[quadperfect]

In the usa a trained nurse makes more than 60,000 usd a year and works 4 shifts per week.

But so does a senior united airlines flight attendant.

[Fulwell53]

5 hours ago, Rhys said:

..psst.. they did this before... continue to force the issue... passing and meeting deadlines is not a Thai Politician strength, now is it?

But for politicians in every other corner of the globe I suppose it is a strength?

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

How is it like to get a sponge bath from a civil servant?

Well it is the same as from another, please stop making wise cracks about 6 months.

All nurses, whether government or private, do a fantastic job.

 

I looked and I looked again, but I didn't find the word "nurse" in my original post.

 

Could it be because my joke was aimed at civil servants?

 

3 hours ago, Dobredin Ghusputin said:

How is it like to get a sponge bath from a civil servant? Does it take at least 6 of them to do each patient?

 

[Jonmarleesco]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“We will gradually recruit them to civil servant positions,” Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday. “This is the best we can offer now.” 

Well, that has to qualify as the swiftest about-turn by a PM in Thai history. No wonder he cancelled the media event. 

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, Kabula said:

I love all nurses!

 

It appears only a partial win, but 3 years for a gradual change!  Sad...

Yes , the best he can do , there are subs to buy yet old chap.

[Krataiboy]

Promises, promises. . . 

[CantSpell]

a NO yesterday is a YES today's..

 

Most followed government procedure 

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt agrees to positions for all nurses at state hospitals within three years; ‘best we can do’: PM

Kudo's to the nurses on their hard fought victory. Shame on the government for their take it or leave it attitude. 

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, Dobredin Ghusputin said:

How is it like to get a sponge bath from a civil servant? Does it take at least 6 of them to do each patient?

Quit complaining lay back and enjoy the attention.