Talks have resumed in earnest between the management of the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, the Antigua, and Barbuda Nurses Association, and the government’s negotiating team on a proposal that was submitted by the healthcare professionals back in 2017.

The talks on the proposal for a salary increase, improved working conditions, and other benefits for those in the nursing profession resumed after they [nurses] wrote to the Establishment Division threatening to take action over stalled negotiations.

President of ABNA Soria Dupie Winston told Observer Radio on Monday that the new board has been formed for the hospital and since then they have had two meetings so far.

“Negotiations have resumed with both the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre’s board and the government’s negotiation team. We are still at a statement as it relates to the proposed salary increase and once, we meet with the government’s negotiation team will discuss more as it relates to that,”

“There are other areas of the contract which we have been able to have some agreement on, a win-win situation for both our members, the employers at the hospital, and the community. We are hoping once we get to meet again, we will be able to finalize everything and compete this negotiating period,” Dupie-Winston said.

The association president said the body is satisfied so far and they have also instituted timelines to ensure the talks are not dragged on.

Nurses in Antigua and Barbuda are currently celebrating Nurses’ week 2023 under the theme Investing in Nurses means investing in our future. 

The week’s activities started with nurses attending church service on Sunday at the Ebenezer Methodist Church in St. John’s.

One of the highlights of the week takes place on Wednesday with two ZOOM engagements. The first is a session with the Head of the UWI FIC Lifelong Learning Unit, Paula Lee, who will speak on the topic: Strategies to invest in learning and the future.

The second is an engagement with Dr. Roxanne Sheppard-Samuel who will speak on the topic: Mental healthcare is critical to your well-being.

On Friday, International Nurses Day, the association will host all nurses at a special luncheon at the Nurses Headquarters Building on the Queen Elizabeth Highway.

Other activities of the week included media day Monday and a dinner and dance aboard the catamaran, Mystic on Saturday night.