Representatives of 20 health unions have said that health professionals across Sri Lanka will go on a symbolic strike from 08:00 am on 06 March.
According to Mawbima newspaper, health union leaders have threatened strike action if discussions with the Health Sector scheduled for today fail.
The representatives further said that the time given to Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa to revise the cut in allowances of health professionals ends today.
They noted that doctors have also extended their support for the symbolic strike.
However, the strike will not be implemented in children’s hospitals, cancer hospitals, maternity hospitals and kidney hospitals, authorities of the hospitals said.
Health Trade Unions Alliance (HTUA) convener Ravi Kumudesh said the statement by Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa in Parliament regarding the salary of a nurse was incorrect.
He further said that while PM Harini Amarasuriya, as the Minister of Education, had brought teachers and principals into the first salary scale, health professionals who remained in the first salary scale were being dragged down.
Ravi Kumudesh also mentioned that no effort had been made in the budget to address the significant salary disparities affecting health professionals.
He emphasized that the serious salary disparity affecting health professionals had not been addressed and that the cuts in allowances provided to them were also severe.
Ravi Kumudesh pointed out that there seemed to be no understanding of the issue from the Health Minister, and that there was no option other than to begin trade union action. (Newswire)