Marathon negotiations between the Union health ministry and the nurses’ federation bore fruit late on Monday, preventing a major strike across the government hospitals in the country that would have started on August 2, hitting health services at all major government hospitals.
The nurses have been agitating against the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission, demanding revision in their pay scale and hike in allowances and had warned going on a indefinite strike if their demand had not met. After series of discussions with Union health minister J.P. Nadda and Union health secretary C.K. Mishra all day long, the nurses decided to defer the strike after they were assured of a “fair deal”. The Union health minister will take up of their issue of “pay hike” and “allowances” with the finance ministry soon. They have been assured about it after which they decided to call off the strike, that would have severely disrupted health services,” sources in the health ministry disclosed.
Citing that the 7th Pay Commission has given them a raw deal, the nurses have been demanding better allowances, pay hike and assured career progression. They had decided to go on strike, paralysing services at all major government hospitals.
Earlier too, the health ministry had three rounds of discussion with several nurses associations. “Unfortunately, nothing happened. We were earlier also assured that our demand would be met. But things were not taken seriously. We are convinced but let’s see what happens,” added another member of the association.
The unions have been protesting since December last year, demanding a hike in pay grade, nursing allowance, risk allowance and night-duty allowance. Thousands of nurses working in government hospitals had participated in a 16-day-long programme of protest actions in front of Parliament. This paralysed health services to an extent that many routine surgeries had to be postponed in Delhi. The nurses later called it off following assurance from the health minister.
