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Ongoing health sector TU action ill timed and selfish: AMS

09 Feb 2022

In a letter addressed to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) has opined that the ongoing health sector trade union action to declare a strike is ill timed and selfish. “The ongoing health sector trade union action has made the poorest of the poor absolutely helpless. We feel that the health sector trade union's move to declare a continuous strike is ill timed and somewhat selfish at this critical juncture purely from the patient's point of view,” the AMS said. Further, they expressed their strong belief that industrial action should generally be considered as the last resort in winning any trade union demand. “Timing of such action should be decided to inflict minimal collateral damage especially at a time when a global pandemic along with haphazard policy decisions of the government have hit the entire country hard,” the Association expressed. The letter also recalled that trade union actions in the recent past have resulted in severe public disgust and dismay, generally towards the public sector.  “In the recent past, the government has succumbed to trade union pressure granting certain public servants monetary and other perks. These ad-hoc decisions have opened avenues for various groups to fight for their claims,” the Association stated. The AMS also warned that if such action continues in the same direction, all powerful trade unions will be claiming various demands leading the nation into chaos.  “As an important professional group in the public sector, we urge the government to work for a long lasting solution in correcting salary anomalies in conformity with the national policy and through the National pay Commission giving due consideration to educational and professional qualifications,” they said. The Health Minister was further urged to not give in to the pressure exerted by certain health sector trade unions causing chaos in the country severely inconveniencing the poor public. “We hope and pray that the government will take a serious note of this potential danger and imminent cascade effect which can follow,” the Association concluded.


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