Dionne Rose

Staff Reporter

The National Public Health Laboratory, the Blood Bank and several hospitals were again forced to scale down operations yesterday as the country's medical technologists continued their strike action.

The 120 medical technologists took industrial action on Wednesday over what they described as Government's "slow progress" in implementing a reclassification exercise. The exercise would result in increased salaries for the medical technologists.

emergency services only

According to the Ministry of Health, only emergency services are being offered at public-health laboratories.

At the National Public Health Laboratory in Kingston, senior technologists have continued to carry out operations.

Evadne Williams, director of laboratory services, told The Gleaner on Wednesday that operations at the National Public Health Laboratory and the Blood Bank had been scaled down to only emergency cases.

"The impact is that we are not at full service but we are offering an emergency service in all the laboratory areas," she said.

However, when The Gleaner visited the Blood Bank on Slipe Pen Road in Kingston yesterday, the impact of the strike was not noticeable.

blood drive continues

Persons could still be seen giving blood. A spokesperson at the Blood Bank said that the strike was having no impact on the institution because the workload was light on Thursdays.

No laboratory tests were conducted at the Cornwall Regional Hospital as a result of the strike.

The St. Ann's Bay Hospital was also affected; the Kingston Public Hospital was not affected.

According to St. Patrice Ennis, general secretary of the Union of Technical Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP), the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) in 2003 ordered that medical technologists be reclassified.

However, Mr. Ennis believes the Government is ignoring the IDT order. According to him, the technologists will maintain their action until the ruling is honoured.

Yesterday, Mr. Ennis told The Gleaner that the matter had been referred to the Ministry of Labour.

Medical technologists took strike action in January 2003 over the reclassification issue. The IDT ordered them back to work but they defied the order and were fined.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com