Talks fail, nurses’ strike from today

Long discussions that went till late on Thursday evening did not bear any fruit, with the All-India Nurses Federation deciding to go on strike, halting health care services in the government hospitals from September 2.

The nurses had been agitating against the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, demanding a revision in their pay scale and a hike in allowances. Calling their demands “unreasonable”, Union health ministry officials said that the ministry had done all that it could do, and if the nurses still go on strike “punitive action will be taken against them”. “They are asking for pay hike and allowances, which is not in our hands. We have done it hate we beat could be done. The strange part is that for their pay hike, they are ready to put the health of people in limbo. Delhi is already grappling with increasing number of dengue and chikungunya cases but they are not bothered”. Taking a tough stand, government officials said that it will take a tough action if the nurses continue to strike.

Sources in the ministry disclosed that they are open to taking “walk-in interviews” to hire nurses, and may rope in nurses from the Army and the BSF, in adverse situation.

The nurses across India had earlier warned of strike, hitting health services at all government hospitals, if their grievances are not addressed.

Earlier on August 1 too, a series of discussion with the Union health minister J.P. Nadda and Union health secretary C.K. Mishra, lead to deferment of the strike after the nurses were assured of a “fair deal”.

Citing that the Seventh 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.

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 program of protest actions in front of the 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.