THERE are workers under the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) fund, who complain that this fund hit them twice when it arrived as it promised them heaven and earth and it is addicting them.
This came from a protest in Durban, led by the unions that are part of the Cosatu coalition at the GEMS offices in the city. Nationally, these unions were marching and complaining that they are not in agreement with the increase in money by this fund.
The secretary of the Sadtu teachers’ union in the province, Ms. Nomarashiya Caluza, said that the workers warned them when the fund came to raid the schools, not to leave the medical aids they were part of.
He said that GEMS attracted the workers by saying that they would pay a small fee and that they would get things that sounded good.
“Now GEMS is not doing what it promised the workers when it started working. We had warned the workers not to leave their medical aids, as Sadtu did not sign that they accept GEMS,” he said.
He said that now the workers are complaining every day that this fund is robbing them.
“If you could go to the pharmacy now, you would be told that your money has run out but it’s only the beginning of the year. These are some of the things that make the workers complain about GEMS.”
He said that they want to review the decision to raise money by 9.8%, at the beginning of the year. Last month, the fund reduced the amount it raised from 9.8% to 9.5% but the workers are spending this money.
“We want the board of this fund to be reviewed, and the many meetings held by members of this board to benefit themselves. The purpose of medical aids is to help members, not to make a profit,” said Ms. Caluza.
He said if those in this fund do not meet their demands, they will persuade the members to go to other medical aids, and the government will continue to support them even after leaving this fund.
“This fund exists because of us, without us it would not exist. So we must look after the workers and comply with their demands.”
Ms Nandipha Mabandla, who accepted the list of workers’ complaints, said that she would forward the complaints to the relevant bodies of the fund.
Not only Cosatu-affiliated unions are fighting the GEMS increase but also those under the FEDUSA coalition, are crying the same. And PSA follows the words of these unions, all of them are fighting the same war.
FEDUSA and Cosatu said they are getting legal advice on the increase in medical aid. These unions have warned that more is coming if GEMS continues to tighten its grip.
On the other hand, GEMS is holding its breath on this matter, it complained about the beatings, exploitation and harassment by the workers which caused the increase in medical aid costs.