THE Zimbabwe Nurses Association has filed an urgent chamber application in the High Court seeking an order restraining and interdicting the Health Services Board, Health and Child Care Minister Hon. David Parirenyatwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga from terminating the services of some striking nurses and to stop the government from recruiting new staff.
In an urgent chamber application filed on Friday 20 April 2018 in the High Court, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association argued that the purported summary dismissal of some striking nurses was not justified, as the conduct of the nurses was legal as they were exercising their labour rights.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association, which is represented by Precious Chakasikwa and Bernard Chidziva of Kantor and Immerman Legal Practitioners, argued that there is no justification by anyone to terminate the nurses’ contracts of employment as they had embarked on a lawful collective job action.
The health practitioners stated that Vice-President Chiwenga threatened the leadership of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association with violence and war during a meeting and ejected the union’s president from the meeting.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association wants the High Court to restrain and interdict the HSB, Hon. Parirenyatwa and Vice-President Chiwenga from terminating the services of nurses at state-run hospitals and in the event that the respondents proceed with the termination of the employment contracts, the termination be declared null and void.
In addition, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association wants the respondents to be barred from filling their positions.
Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
