TRHA reaffirms overtime pay amid nurses’ warning

2026-03-28 - 18:05

The Tobago Regional Health Authority has reaffirmed its commitment to fair and transparent overtime compensation for nursing staff, as industrial tensions continue to build within the public health sector. In a media release issued on March 27, the Authority said it remains committed to ensuring nurses are properly compensated for additional duties, while maintaining efficiency in healthcare delivery across Tobago. The statement comes days after the Trinidad and Tobago National Nurses Association warned that nurses could withhold extra-duty services over Government’s move to standardise pool rates. TTNNA president Idi Stuart said the association is prepared to push back against the changes, arguing that nurses are not obligated to accept extra shifts under revised arrangements. “If they are mandated to work extra duty, the authority will have to pay overtime, time and a half, double time, triple time,” Stuart said, warning of potential cost implications for health authorities. He added that the move has sparked growing anger among nurses, particularly specialised staff, describing it as an unjustified rollback of long-standing arrangements. Against that backdrop, the TRHA said the Nursing Pool System, which was suspended during the 2018 to 2019 period, is currently under review as part of efforts to strengthen workforce management and improve staffing efficiency. It explained that, in the interim, nurses who perform additional duties are compensated for overtime in accordance with the established framework for the sector. Under that system, overtime is calculated at time and a half for the first four hours, double time for the next four hours, and triple time for any hours worked beyond eight. The Authority said overtime rates vary depending on an officer’s position within the salary scale. It noted that Registered Nurses currently receive between approximately $64.96 and $173.67 per hour in overtime, while Enrolled Nursing Assistants earn between about $50.43 and $132.14 per hour. The TRHA said it remains focused on ensuring all nursing personnel are fairly compensated while continuing to deliver efficient and sustainable healthcare services to the people of Tobago. It added that all nursing staff will continue to operate within the established scope of their roles and professional responsibilities, in line with existing policies and clinical guidelines.