Nurses are threatening to cripple State-run hospitals with a countrywide strike, if their demands are not heeded. Saman Ratnapriya, President of the Government Nursing Officer’s Association (GNOA) which consist of about 12,000 nurses, said the strike was a result of failed discussions with both Health Minister Maitripala Sirisena and Health Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatillake. Among their [...]

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Nurses’ islandwide TU action to continue till demands met

By Nadia Fazlulhaq
Health ministry says impact of strike negligible
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Nurses are threatening to cripple State-run hospitals with a countrywide strike, if their demands are not heeded. Saman Ratnapriya, President of the Government Nursing Officer’s Association (GNOA) which consist of about 12,000 nurses, said the strike was a result of failed discussions with both Health Minister Maitripala Sirisena and Health Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatillake.

Among their demands is an increase in overtime payment and risk allowance, recruiting of graduate nurses to the public sector, cancelling the gazette that allows Provincial Councils to recruit nurses and reducing the six-day work week to five.

‘Ministering angels’ on the war path in Colombo. Pix by Susantha Liyanawatte

“At present, nurses should work for 10 years at hospitals where they get their first appointment. We requested to bring that down to five, and the minister agreed to it. The other demand was to amend the gazette by lifting the ban on nurses doing private practice in their free time,” he said. He said last week’s 24-hour strike adversely affected patient care services in almost all hospitals.

“About 80% of the nurses in State hospitals participated in this week’s token strike. At the Kandy Teaching Hospital, only 234 out of 1,800 nurses reported to work, while at Ampara Hospital, only 8 out of 303 nurses reported to work. At Peradeniya Hospital, only 26 out of 591 nurses reported to work,” he said, adding that, the State should be held responsible for the inconvenience caused to the public, as a result of the trade union action.

He said that, at present, there are about 26,000 nurses in the country, and were hopeful of getting about 20,000 nurses to participate in future trade union actions. “At meetings in October and earlier this month, the officials agreed to consider our demands, but the assurances given were not fulfilled,” he said.

He said trade union action will not obstruct emergency services and services at the Castle Street Hospital, De Soyza Maternity Hospital, National Cancer Institute, Maharagama, Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital and National Eye Hospital.

Health Secretary Dr. Jayatillake told the Sunday Times that discussions were held with all nurses unions, with several unions agreeable to the present working conditions and regulations.

“Trade union actions do not hamper medical services, and there is only a minor impact. There will be no change in conditions, as these demands are unreasonable,” he said.




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