Nurses at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital countrywide yesterday began a ‘no uniform’ protest due to their employer failing to attend to their grievances which include lack of proper uniform, poor remuneration and working conditions. 
The nurses, temporarily brought business to a halt at one of the country’s revered health institutions in Manzini, as most of them were seen wearing their personal clothing but not a proper uniform. (see insert picture) The nurses at RFM Manzini are made to wear their own red and white clothing as part of their uniform requirements, yet the institution does not provide uniforms to them.
The Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), last week sent a Memo to RFM informing them that their Clients won’t be wearing the red And white this Week at Hospital. One nurse who’s named cannot be mentioned said, “It would be such a catastrophe if our protest against uniform conditions compromises the well-being of people currently at the hospital thus leading to numerous deaths.”Efforts to get a comment from Human Resources Manager were fruitless as he was said to have been out of his office yesterday.
Importance Of Wearing Uniform
1. Secures Employee Protection:
No matter what your industry, safety of employees is always a top concern. This statement is especially true in areas of service where chemicals, fire or other dangerous substances need to be handled. Advances in fabric technology and uniform design over the years have greatly reduced the accident rate “on the job” by providing protection. Not only do uniforms physically protect employees from harm, but they also provide security. Work uniforms ensure that all persons in any given workspace are identifiable as employees and not customers or outsiders. This is especially important in areas of public safety but also home services from cleaning to pest control. If your workers need to enter homes or interact with the public, the recognition work uniforms provide help create a sense of trust. It provides employees and customers with a way to communicate so everyone is comfortable and not at risk.
2. Provides Employee Benefits:
How often do you look in your closet and just can’t find anything to wear? Work uniforms automatically eliminate this problem for you. Not only is this beneficial to a company, but it also makes life easier for employees as well. Employees can end up saving themselves both time and money with company provided uniforms. When employees have free range to dress on their own, they often break the dress code in place, or perhaps just push it to the limit. A uniform program ensures control over your company apparel, and image. This means knowing your employees will arrive to work and look put together and professional. And since there’s no fussing over what outfit you need to wear every morning, uniforms can cut down on time getting ready in the morning too. Uniforms set the image your company is trying to achieve all while making things more convenient for employees.
3. Promotes Team Building/Unity:
Putting on the same uniform as your co-workers can create a team spirit within your company. No matter how high up a person might be in a corporation, uniforms put everyone on the same platform. This can also make management more approachable and less intimidating to address concerns with. Wearing a common uniform helps create a bond between everyone that can be somewhat difficult to achieve in larger corporations.
