Rural pharmacists seek better pay, threaten to boycott services

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 12

Rural pharmacists working on contractual basis in rural dispensaries have threatened to boycott the services at newly opened Aam Aadmi Clinics from February 16 if their services are not regularised.

The Rural Health Pharmacy Officers Association stated that a majority of them were given contractual employment 16 years ago and they are still working on paltry salary. Association leader Bikramjit Singh said while the regular and contractual employees have same job profile and work, the latter are being paid less.

“We fail to understand that why two people doing same job are being paid differently. It is sheer exploitation of the unemployed persons,” he said. He added that the association had earlier too threatened to boycott the services but later after assurances from the senior government functionaries had postponed the action.

“Now we have given an ultimatum as the government has failed to fulfil its promise. The pharmacists along with class IV workers would boycott the services from Thurusday,” said another union leader Gurwinder Singh Neer.