Health technicians on sick note campaign
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s medical technicians and support staff will engage in sick note campaign for 24 hours on Wednesday (8) demanding higher wages to match inflation and withdrawal of an essential service order, a union official said.
The Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists is organizing the 24-hour trade union action staring at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday and ending ends at 6.30 a.m. on Thursday (9).
The decision came after a discussion with the Secretary, Ministry of Health, Janaka Chandraguptha and the Director General of Unions Saman Deshapriya.
“In today’s discussion with the health secretary it was not possible to reach a definite solution, therefore the proposed trade union procedure will be in effect for twenty-four hours,” President of the Association of Health Professionals, Ravi Kumudesh said.
The main demands of the strikers include immediate remedy for the shortage of drug equipment and reagents in government hospitals; withdrawal of orders issued to cut salaries of health staff up to 15%; withdrawal of the Essential Services Gazette notification issued with the aim of suppressing health workers’ trade unions; financial distress to health professionals due to an increase in bank interest rates; and providing an allowance commensurate with the increased cost of living and inflation.
Kumadesh also said that the actions of the new Director General of the President’s Trade Unions were another reason for the discussions being unsuccessful, leading to a preventable union action.
“We expect more than 100,000 workers to join with us,” he said
Health workers from all hospitals except lifesaving and emergency services, all cancer hospitals, blood banks, kidney, children and maternity hospitals, will be participating in the strike.
-economynext.com
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