AZP to give uniform allowance at the end of January

The workers at the Academic Hospital Paramaribo (AZP) will receive their uniform allowance at the end of January. Reports indicate that each worker will receive a uniform allowance of SRD 2,400. Management reportedly informed the employees on January 4. “The union has already been notified. Management discussed it with us and indicated that it could not have the money ready around the 15th of this month but that it hopes to have it at the end of the month. We are asked to give management some breathing room and we agreed to do so. But this means that the workers expect to receive their salaries and uniform allowance in their bank accounts at the end of the month,” said Union Chairman Maurits Blackson. The union chairman explained that there is no rule or agreement that indicates that it is mandatory for hospital management to pay workers their uniform allowance around the fifteenth but that workers usually received it around the middle of the month. “We will patiently wait for the end of the month. There are a few employees who are discontent with this decision but the union has already urged them to cooperate,” said Blackson. AZP General Director Antoine Brahim pointed out that last year the AZP also could not give its workers their uniform allowance around the 15th. He expects everything to be in order at the end of the month. Brahim explained that the hospital is dependent on various sources of income. The State Health Insurance Fund (SZF) has reportedly indicated that it would pay its hospital bill from the AZP at the end of the month. Brahim pointed out that payments do not always made at a later date. Last month the AZP was able to pay the workers their performance bonus before Christmas.