The AIIMS-Delhi Nurses Union went on an indefinite strike from Monday over their long-pending demands, including those with regard to the Sixth Central Pay Commission, following which the Union health ministry directed the institute’s director to ensure no disruption of nursing functions.
The ministry also said non-compliance of the “code of conduct”, laid down as per a Delhi High Court judgment, whereby no employee or staff or faculty member will cease work for any reason, will be treated as an offense under the Disaster Management Act.
From Monday afternoon, around 5,000 nurses went on strike, hampering patient care services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
Harish Kajla, President of AIIMS Nurses Union informed: “Very sadly, we are announcing that the about 5,000 nurses at AIIMS are going on indefinite strike from Monday onwards regarding the redressal of their demands, including that related to the Sixth Central Pay Commission (CPC).”
AIIMS issued a statement stating the nursing union of AIIMS, New Delhi has gone on a strike in contravention of the direction of the High Court of Delhi in relation to the code of conduct laid down, whereby no employee or staff or faculty member, will cease work for any reason whatsoever or shout slogans or hold demonstrations within the campus or hold gate meeting within 500 meters radius of the institute boundary.
Non-compliance will be treated as offence under the
Disaster Management Act read with the Indian Penal Code and action will be taken accordingly against defaulting authorities/employees: Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare https://t.co/07zCNfQvvf— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2020
“The various demands raised by the nurses union stand discussed with them for resolution. The union has however abandoned many critically ill patients on the demand of perceived anomaly of fixation of the initial pay related to 6th CPC of the year 2006,” the statement said.
Besides the demands with regard to the sixth CPC, nurses have also been demanding redressal of issues such as the abolishment of gender-based reservation in the recruiting process of nursing officers and contractual appointments, enhancement of hospital accommodation, and cadre restructuring.
In a letter to the director, the Union said no solid solution was taken by the AIIMS administration and rather their demand related to the 6th central pay commission anomaly was turned down.
“Adding to this, it is shocking to know that the AIIMS administration decided to recruit nursing officers on a contractual basis immediately which is against our demands,” the Union said in the letter.
Earlier, AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria in a video message termed the strike in the time of pandemic as “inappropriate and unfortunate”.
“I appeal to all the nurses and nursing officers not to go on strike, and not to make us feel embarrassed about the dignity that we have as far as the nurses are concerned. A real nurse will really never abandon her patients,” Guleria added.
“I, therefore, appeal to all of you to come back and work and really help us get through this pandemic,” he said in an emotional message.
Part 2: Now listen to Dr Randeep Guleria, #AIIMS, Director
I’m sure that even in COVID-19 real nurse will really never abandon her patients. I appeal to all the nurses all the nursing officers not to go on strike & not to make us feel embarrass about the dignity that we have. pic.twitter.com/m2s9RNrM63
— Priyanka Sharma (@journo_priyanka) December 14, 2020
Guleria said the nurses union had put in 23 demands and almost all of them have been met by the AIIMS administration and the government.
He said one of the demands is basically a perceived anomaly in the fixation of the initial payment as per the Sixth Central Pay Commission (CPC) is concerned.
The AIIMS director said multiple meetings have been held with the nurses union not only by the AIIMS administration but by the economic adviser in the Ministry of Health, representatives of the department of expenditure and also the person who drafted the 6th CPC was also present in the meeting and that it was explained to them that the interpretation is not correct.
“…but because the nurses” union were asking for a hike in the salary, it was said by the government that would sympathetically look at this as a fresh demand and asked the department of expenditure to consider this,” he said.
“It however seems inappropriate that when a country is fighting a pandemic, when we are fighting for our near and dear ones to save lives and we know that we need to work only for a few more months and the vaccine may actually provide a solution. Unfortunately at this point in time, the nurses have gone on a strike,” Guleria said.
He said that the year 2020 has been declared by the WHO as the year of nurse and midwife as the world celebrates the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
“She also insisted that a real nurse would never abandon her patients and I am sure that even in Covid-19, a real nurse will really never abandon her patients or those healthcare workers who are now admitted in our hospital and looking for care,” he said.
