Health Unions threaten to resume strike action tomorrow

Talks between Health Sector Trade Unions and government authorities today ended inconclusively with unions threatening to relaunch their strike action from tomorrow morning.

Accordingly the strike in state run hospitals, except for selected hospitals and sections, the strike will be launched from 6.30 am onwards.

The Unions earlier in the day met the officials and thereafter held a second meeting among themselves to decide if they would resume their strike action tomorrow.

President of Joint Council for Professions of Supplementary to Medicine Ravi Kumudesh told the media they believe that the officials who met with them were unable to move forward to meet the demands of the unions.

Paramedics and supplemental medical are demanding that Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance  be increased at the same amount as Doctors’ allowance, which was raised by Rs. 35,000 earlier this year.

After talks with the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday (6), the trade unions linked with the health sector decided to put their strikes on hold scheduled for February 7 by a week.

“A committee made up of fifteen representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and Professionals of Supplementary to Medicine has been formed to discuss calls for a raise in allowances which the trade unions have put out during the discussion,” President of Paramedical Services Front (PMSF) and Joint Convener of Trade Union Alliance Upul Rohana said.