Nurses’ strike put on hold after Health Minister’s assurance

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14

Three thousand city nurses have who were to go on strike on Tuesday, March 15, on hold following assurance from Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday that their demands would be fulfilled.

A decision to postpone the strike was taken by the All-India Nurses’ Federation after a meeting with the Health Minister in New Delhi here today.

On the call of Minister of Health and Family Welfare, a meeting was held at New Delhi with the All-India Government Nurses’ Federation. All 10 members of the negotiation committee authorised by the Federation, were present in the meeting, including president of the PGI Nurses’ Welfare Association Lakhvinder Singh.

In a press note issued here today, Lakhvinder Singh stated the Health Minister had given a written reassurance to the federation to send the demands of the nurses regarding the 7th Pay Commission to the empowered committee for sympathetic consideration. 

Nearly 3,000 city nurses from the PGI, GMCH-32, GMSH-16 and ESIC Hospital, under the banner of All-India Nurses’ Federation, have been protesting for fulfilment of their demands, which include a starting grade of Rs 5,400 instead of Rs 4,600 as proposed by the 7th Pay Commission; payment of risk allowance and non-practice allowance, night allowance, conveyance allowance and full pay for childcare leave.