A private hospital in Bahrain has agreed to pay staff who are owed up to six months in outstanding salaries by early next month, after several employees staged a wildcat strike in its lobby yesterday (April 9).

Nurses, carers and cleaners were among more than 50 Bahraini and expatriate staff who refused to work after reporting for duty at the International Hospital of Bahrain (IHB), on Budaiya Highway, at around 8.30am, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Their protest lasted around three hours and ended once the hospital agreed to a schedule of payments, after the Labour Ministry and unionists intervened.

“Labour officials visited the hospital and had discussions with both parties (staff and management),” Labour Ministry Under-Secretary Sabah Al Dossary told the GDN.

“It has been agreed that wages will be settled by early May.

“The agreement is to pay two months' salaries by the end of next week, another two months by the end of April and the remainder by early May.

“We have agreed to sign a written document on this schedule on Sunday and we expect IHB management to stand by its word.”

The GDN reported last month that the 36-year-old health facility was considering selling off land to raise money to pay staff.

Doctors have allegedly not been paid since September, while nurses and other categories of staff have allegedly not been paid since October.

Some of the hospital's 200-plus workforce have already resigned due to non-payment.

The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) has intervened on behalf of staff and its representative, Karim Radhi, said a lack of trust now existed between both parties.

“We have decided to sign a document next week among four parties - the GFBTU, Labour Ministry, workers' representative and (IHB) management - to have a written agreement on the schedule of payments,” he said.

“We realised the problem was not only about payment, but there was a lack of trust between the two parties and we are attempting to bridge the gap.”

IHB chief executive Chris Lewis told the GDN that he expected the issue to be resolved.

“They (staff) insisted on meeting (hospital owner) Dr Faysal Zeerah in the lobby, despite him agreeing to meet in the office,” said Lewis.

“Subsequently, we had a positive meeting with Labour Ministry and GFBTU officials and we have agreed to settle salaries by the end of April.

“As said earlier, we are planning some massive liquidation and hence the strategy to settle pending salaries is already in place.

“We were overstaffed, despite which we did not sack anyone, but as we are aware that many have resigned on their own - which has helped in restructuring, mainly in the administrative offices.

“This has helped in reducing expenses considerably and, at the same time, we have signed a few agreements with insurance companies and we are hopeful to resume business.

“We are happy that we will be able to offer services at reduced costs as well, in the coming days.”

A senior hospital official earlier blamed an 80 per cent drop in business over the past year for cash flow problems, in part because some insurance companies declined to cover patient costs at IHB '“ meaning they had to go elsewhere for treatment. - TradeArabia News Service