UST HOSPITAL (USTH) administrators and staff have reached a deadlock in collective bargaining negotiations, forcing the employees’ union to file a notice of strike with the Department of Labor and Employment.
A resounding 399 members of the USTH Employees Association voted “Yes” to a strike referendum held on Monday, while only seven voted “No.”
The union has refused to issue any statement on the matter under a supposed agreement with the hospital administration.
The Labor department has reportedly put on hold the strike notice as another round of negotiations between the union and USTH administrators would take place on Friday, Feb. 15.
A message said to have been issued by Dr. Marcellus Ramirez, the hospital’s medical director, said the deadlock was caused by the “unjustifiable demands of the union which would amount to a whopping P1.1 billion.”
Should the union push through with their move, the message stated, it will “stop hospital operations, close the clinics, hold admissions, advice discharge of existing patients and stop all ancillary services.”
“Such a strike situation causing work stoppage and paralysis of hospital operations runs counter to the very essence of our profession, and violates the dictum of ‘do no harm.’ Sad to say, the ultimate victim is our innocent patient,” the statement read.
The medical director’s office did not confirm nor deny that the statement was from Ramirez.
