PRETORIA, - The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) on Wednesday said employees and unions had been consulted about the restructuring and they were assured the changes would not result in job losses.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has been on strike since November 16, in a bid to oppose the implementation of the new data capturing system which they said may lead to job losses.
HPCSA president, Dr Kgosietsile Latlape said when the Business Process Engineering (BPR) was implemented, the consultant engaged with management and staff and assured employees that no jobs would be lost.
"I have addressed various meetings with all staff from the beginning of this process to where we are today....We made a commitment that for the next three years when we embark on this process, nobody will lose their job and that commitment council has kept," Letlape said.
Letlape said even unions were consulted at every step of the way concerning the process, adding that he had the meeting minutes to prove it.
"When the different work streams were created, the union was encouraged to participate in any of the work streams that they choose to participate in, they chose not participate in the ICT work stream but it was open to them and others. We can assure you that we have gone beyond normal consultation in terms of engaging the work force and the unions," he said.
Last week, branch secretary Nkululeko Ntloko said: "There are processes that were supposed to have been undertaken under a signed accord between management of HPCSA and Nehawu.
"There are processes that are being done secretly. Management of the organisation has been involved in some processes that were not inclusive to us but the accord in very clear in terms of the process that needs to be done in as far as including all parties so that there is labour peace and there is no issues of unfair labour practices,” he said at the time.