Contract nurses hired by the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) since the start of the covid19 pandemic lose approximately $500 a day from their monthly salaries if they do not show up for work owing to illness.

In March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, the TRHA hired more than 100 nurses on six-month contracts to augment the work of the permanent nursing staff.

The nurses were assigned to work at health centres, covid19 facilities and the Scarborough General Hospital.

But the contract nurses have complained that while they are required to work just as hard as their permanent counterparts, and perhaps even more so in some cases, they are not entitled to paid sick leave, vacation leave or maternity leave.

At the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development’s virtual media briefing on May 14, line secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine said the nurses’ status will remain unchanged for the time being because there are no vacancies in the TRHA.

She said when vacancies arise, the nurses will be the first to be considered for positions at the new Roxborough Hospital.

But the nurses, who have been working on the frontline of the pandemic for more than a year, believe they should be given “proper” contracts.

In an interview on Friday, a contract nurse told Newsday: “The main goal is to have a proper contract with the same benefits as the other nurses. That is all we are asking for.”

The nurse, who did not want to be named, said they are being asked to make too many sacrifices.

“If we stay home, they take out money from our salary, which is approximately $500,” she said.

“So, if we fall sick, we have no choice but to still go to work.”

The nurse said many of them feel under appreciated “because we work the same hours and do the same work.”

She added: “So, all we are asking is that if we are sick and can’t show up to work, at least we could go the next day, do a sick leave and it doesn’t affect our salary.”

The nurse said they also cannot go to commercial banks or any other lending institution to get loans.

“We can’t get anything from any institution – financial wise.”

The nurse, who works at the Scarborough General Hospital, said she got her first contract in March 2020.

It was renewed for another six months in September 2020.

She said there was no break in service between the first and second contracts.

“My second contract is now outdated and I am now waiting for my next six-month contract which I haven’t received as yet.”

Other nurses also have not received their third contracts.

“So, we are currently working without a contract per se.”

She said the TRHA has not said if a new contract is forthcoming.

The nurse, who has a young family, said while she cannot speak for her colleagues, working on the frontline of the pandemic has been a learning experience.

“We are out there not knowing what we are going to face. So, we are learning while we are t