The 226 Health support workers of Angau Hospital in Lae walked off their jobs at 4:06pm this afternoon over their unmet demands.
This move followed a week’s notice served to the Department of Personnel Management to meet their log of claims.
The hospital support workers joined their colleagues to go on a nationwide strike after their demands were not met by the Government and the Department of Personnel Management.
The General Secretary, Jack Suao, had called for a round table negotiation before the strike.
Night and day shift drivers, cleaners and other support workers joined their colleagues in the nationwide strike starting this afternoon.
A letter sent yesterday to all staff was distributed at 3pm this afternoon.
About 400 in ward patients at Angau hospital will be affected.
The strike is expected to continue over the weekend and over the next three weeks. This will be until the Department of Personnel Management gives a positive response to the demands.
The PNG Health Support Workers Association has gone on strike after their demands, that were put forward to Department of Personnel Management in September last year, were not met.
Lae Branch, Vice President Lance Mathias, says despite the numerous negotiations carried out so far,there is still no positive response.
They gave a seven day notice to the Government Department which had lapsed today.
