THE Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)-Cordillera chapter is asking for just compensation for nurses in the time of the pandemic.
PNA-Cordillera governor Erlinda Castro-Palaganas said there are complaints of nurses under these circumstances in the region.
Many nurses infected with Covid-19 in private hospitals are asked to stay home or be in quarantine to prevent the further spread of the virus in the workplace.
"They are required to stay at home or be in quarantine. In effect, many hospitals have interpreted that for our nurses to stay at home or observe quarantine is to give up those days at work without pay, following the principle of no work no pay," the PNA statement said.
A "no work, no pay" policy should not be imposed on nurses according to PNA because “it is not their fault they acquired Covid-19 in the workplace.”
PNA added it is inherent in nurses to risk acquiring the virus within the workplace.
It said hospitals should never shift the burden to nurses by leaving them unattended especially in terms of compensation when they are affected by the disease they seek to eliminate.
"We have no [exact] number but we have received complaints of nurses from a private hospital in the region," Palaganas said of complaints.
"Unfortunately they want to remain anonymous. It is actually a national concern. We have many stories,” Palaganas said adding the cases have been brought to the concern of the health department.
PNA also stressed nurses should not be denied additional leave with pay even though their leave credits are used up.
"Employers may claim that this is an additional burden on their economic costs. Yet without nurses to be compensated, hospitals cannot even function," the statement read.