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This week’s health sector strike to avoid key hospitals

28 Feb 2022

  • Unions to strike in full on 10 March unless settlement reached before Friday
By Dinitha Rathnayake  The planned strike action by non-medical health sector trade unions, scheduled for Wednesday (2 March) and Thursday (3 March), will not be implemented in key hospitals around the island such as children's hospitals, maternity hospitals, cancer hospitals, and kidney treatment hospitals, as well as the Infectious Diseases Institute in Angoda, the National Mental Health Institute in Angoda, and the National Blood Centre in Narahenpita. Speaking to The Morning, College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) President and Health Trade Union Confederation Convener Ravi Kumudesh said that after calling off the previous strike action on 15 February, the confederation had given the Health Ministry 14 days to provide a solution, as agreed after a discussion with the authorities. “We have not yet been informed of any action taken on the requests agreed upon by the Minister of Health,” he said. He added that the strike action would be based on several demands, chief of which he listed as: “Elimination of Salary Anomaly in Paramedical, Nursing, and Paramedical Services in line with the Sri Lanka Eligibility Framework; issuing circular for five out of seven promotions and making it pre-dated as approved by the Cabinet; establishment of the posts of Director and Deputy Director General of Paramedical, Paramedical, and Nursing Services; increasing overtime and specimen allowances not increased by 23 years.” While the confederation had decided that the strike would not be implemented in key hospitals, as mentioned, the confederation’s Executive Council has unanimously decided to resume the strike without further notice on 10 March if a settlement cannot be reached within the week. According to Kumudesh, 18 unions will be taking part in the upcoming trade union action. The Government Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA) has been required to withdraw from joining this action due to enjoining orders issued by the Colombo District Court in this regard. Attempts to contact Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella for further insight into the matter proved futile.  


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