Health trade unions to resume strike as talks fail

The health sector trade unions have decided to resume their trade union action as discussions held with the Ministry of Finance regarding their demands were unsuccessful.

Accordingly, 72 health sector trade unions, excluding doctors’ unions, will launch an indefinite strike from 6.30 a.m. tomorrow (13 Feb.), the unions said.

The decision had been taken following a meeting held between representatives of the Finance Ministry and the trade unions this morning regarding the latter’s demand for the Disturbance, Availability & Transport (DAT) allowance to be extended for all healthcare personnel.

On January 08, the Cabinet of Ministers approved President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to double the DAT allowance paid to government doctors, raising it from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000. This compelled the other health workers to resort to trade union actions.

Since then, the health sector employees’ trade unions representing a wide range of health sector professionals, including radiology and laboratory technicians, pharmacists and drug compounders, midwives, Public Health Inspectors, and entomology officers had launched strikes on multiple occasions in protest of the government’s decision and demanding an allowance increase for all health sector employees.

Last week, the health sector trade unions had decided to postpone by a week their planned strike following discussions held with the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance.

During the discussion, a committee comprising of officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and professionals, had been appointed in order to deliberate on the proposal submitted by the trade unions.

Furthermore, the committee was tasked with delivering a stable response with regard to the issue within a week.