I question the headline and some of the facts in the Saipan Tribune
This whole story is a big mess. The nurses were ordered by the CNMI DOL to report to Labor to find a new employer. The nurses are still reporting in violation of the DOL order to a CNMI Government facility, and working without getting paid. Apparently $16,000 was appropriated to pay the nurses miniumum wage for the past 2 months, but what exactly does that mean? The nurses have a contract with SEAS Employment Agency, so do they get the $16,000, or does the agency receive the money? And what about the additional $184,000 the CNMI Government owes SEAS?
The nurses are quoted in the Saipan Tribune that they would like to work directly with the CNMI Government because they are not paid on time, but the reason they are not paid is because the CNMI Government is not paying SEAS.
Back in 2003 SEAS supplied most of the nurses to CHC as well. The CNMI Government decided to hire the nurses directly because of the high turnover of the manpower nurses.
