Liberia health workers strike over Ebola

Liberian nurses and healthcare workers will go on strike tomorrow. They demand hazard pay. They currently get $250 a month and bonuses. I understand they are on the front lines of a horrible epidemic with terrible pay and deadly working conditions but this is not the time to go on strike because it can only make the epidemic worse in their country.

Healthcare workers in Liberia, the country hit hardest by the Ebola epidemic, will strike from Monday to demand hazard pay.

'Beginning tomorrow we will be on a nationwide strike in every hospital and every health centre including Ebola Treatment Units,' Joseph Tamba, chairman of the health workers' union, said on Sunday.

Source

a reply to: Nicorette

These people are putting their lives on the line and for minimum wage in most places and do the dirtiest of work in some cases they need the raise

Research George Soros' connection to the Liberian president, Ellen Sirleaf.

Also, look into the mind-boggling level of corruption in that government and the millions and millions of dollars that have gone into that country and other West African countries and try to figure out where that money went. Who got it? Who benefited? Not the people. Not the health care workers. Not the infrastructure.

I don't blame them for striking.

Never let a good crisis go to waste...?

I can understand where they are coming from in wanting hazard pay and they should be fully entitled to it but now is not the right time for this like you said OP, there is healthcare workers going over there and working for free just to try stop this spread- if they really care about the future there they can't strike it will only make matters worse.on the other hand like a previous poster said alot of money has gone there to the governments to try stop this so the governments should be giving some to those that are on the frontline risking their lives.

You would think they would be striking over better equipment and hospitals/ infrastructure... Not individual money salaries. Respectful pay is very nice, but it all seems short sighted to me.

What do they intend to do with increased pay while an Ebola epidemic is running loose? Move away?

a reply to: Nicorette

You know is funny but the Canadian company that had the ZMapp in stock about 1000 doses of it were given to Liberia for health care workers use, right now nobody really know were that serum end up.

I wonder if any health care worker in Liberia got anything.

a reply to: Sparkymedic

This is going to be a harsh truth that might upset some. Liberia is filled with many bad people. It is not like other countries that maybe a small percentage are messed up. Look at what happened during the civil war and look at the crimes against humanity. Vice news did a video on the generals fighting during the war and it was evil.


I think we should seal off Liberia and let them figure it out.

a reply to: Nicorette

I'd just quit and take my earnings and buy a plane ticket. If the conditions are so bad that I fear for my life, I'd of quit way before the outbreak. You can't ask people to die. Call me a cold bastard but I'll be alive.

a reply to: LOSTinAMERICA

I'd be lieing if i said i wouldn't do the same thing as your saying you would, i wouldn't risk it id quit at the first signs and bail too, i think thats why i admire those that can and do actually do it & the volunteers that do it for nothing, theyre amazing.

a reply to: Shana91aus

I don't call that heroic. I call that stupid. It really doesn't matter what I think in the grand scheme of things. I can't fight mother nature or help the dire people in need of it. I do know that the only way to be sure is like Spock said, 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few'. It's cold but someone needs to make those tough decisions. Do it before Ebola becomes our last will and testament. Isolate the sick, close the borders, and stop flights. If I get Ebola, I'll be one of the statistics. It'll be bad luck but I'll take one for the team.