Island-wide health strike goes on despite court order

The island-wide strike action launched by 18 trade unions in the health sector, including those affiliated with nursing, supplementary and paramedical services, is continuing for the fifth consecutive day today despite the enjoining order issued by the court. 

The Government Nursing Officers’ Association said they are yet to receive the enjoining order in writing.

Its chairman, Saman Ratnapriya said the executive committee of the association plans to convene a meeting immediately after receiving the enjoining order and discuss the future course of action.

Last evening, the District Court of Colombo issued two enjoining orders against the Government Nursing Officers’ Association and its chairman Saman Ratnapriya calling for the immediate suspension of their trade union action.

The enjoining orders were issued after taking into account a request made by the Attorney General. He had filed action against the said union and its chairman, seeking an enjoining order from the court to immediately suspend the trade union action of the said association.

The Attorney General also appraised the court of the current deplorable conditions at hospitals due to patient care has been gravely affected.

Nearly 65,000 health workers have joined this indefinite strike action which commenced at 7.00 a.m. Monday (Feb. 07).

The trade union action is based on multiple demands including transforming health professional services into closed services, increasing the special duty allowance to Rs. 10,000, eliminating parallel salary anomalies caused by eliminating only teacher salary anomalies, the establishment of a ‘Health Administration Service’ representing all health professionals and the delays in providing solutions to problems that have arisen for health professionals.