Open House: Is holding strike by disrupting healthcare services right approach?

Patients had a tough time due to a strike call given by workers of the PGI recently. Under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), no essential services can be disrupted by strikes or other means of protest. Yet, it does not mean that workers should not be allowed to raise their demands. There should be a proper grievance-redressal system and knowing that PGI services come under ESMA, workers’ grievances should be heard urgently and appropriately

Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh

It’s a Violation of the right to life

Under Article 21 of the Constitution, every citizen of India has the right to life and the strike call given by the PGI workers had put patients’ lives at risk. A disruption in OPD and elective OT services is not the right way to raise demands. Instead, the workers should have formed a committee to take up their demands with the authorities concerned.

Samridhi Sharma, Panchkula

Hold periodical meetings with unions

There are industrial workers unions and associations recognised by the government which act as a bridge between staff and management. The strike call given by the working staff of the PGI is not justified. Also, the management failed to consider their genuine demands. Such strikes can be tackled by having periodical meetings with unions to sort out the problems which force them to go on strike. A holistic approach is needed to maintain the dignity of workers. We have not seen a photo of “Best worker of the month” at the PGI.

Capt Amar Jeet, Kharar

Recruit permanent employees

The strike call given by the contractual employees of the PGI cannot be justified. Thousands of people from Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal, J&K and Haryana visit the PGI with serious medical ailments daily. The PGI administration must recruit permanent employees in place of contractual staff. The exploitation of employees recruited on a contractual basis with low wages leads to such strikes. Representations given by employees from time to time must be handled carefully and their issues solved within a minimum time period to avoid such strikes.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Follow the conditions of the contract

It was wrong on the part of the contract workers to give a strike call to press for equal pay and facilities as given to regular workers doing similar works. To prevent such an eventuality in future, the authorities as well as union leaders will do well by strictly abiding by the conditions of the contract of such workers, who cannot be treated on a par with regular employees.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

Put a ban on strikes

Strikes have immense bad effects and at the end of the day, these end up in negotiations. Thus, it is better to shun strikes and avoid inconvenience to the public as well as the wrath of the court. The court should intervene to put an end to such agitations once for all.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Bring law to ban strikes

There should be a complete ban on strikes and protests. Government employees are in the habit of raising their issues by holding protests and strikes every now and then. This causes inconvenience not only to the public but also affects the progress of the nation. The government should come up with a law to ban such protests and strikes and terminate the services of employees who indulge in such strikes.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Find alternative means to raise demands

In a democratic country like India, it is everybody’s basic right to raise demands but healthcare services should not be affected. As we all know about the great service rendered by the legends of Mother Teresa and Florence Nightingale, we should learn a lesson from their immense efforts. Health care workers should find an alternative to raise their demands without disrupting health services.

Nakhpreet Kaur, Sanghol

Don’t play with patients’ lives

As usual the PGI and the local authorities miserably failed to prevent the strike call by contractual workers but the Punjab and Haryana High Court intervened to ban the strike at the late hours. Whatever may be the genuine demands of the workers, they have no right to play with the lives of patients. The authorities must come out of their cocoon and send the right signals to all parties taking a proper approach. Strikes or threat of such agitations by workers must be put to an end.

Suresh Verma, Chandigarh

Find alternative ways of protest

In no way it is justified to suspend healthcare services and cause inconvenience to patients. But the point is why these workers had to resort to such severe action? Why nobody listened to them in time? Though these healthcare workers have full right to protest, their agitation affected many patients. My piece of advice for these workers is that they must find alternative ways of protest, instead of disrupting the healthcare services. On humanitarian grounds, they must keep in mind inconvenience caused to patients. The authorities should also listen to the grievances of all workers.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Strike is no solution

It is true that the government cannot improve healthcare services without improving the working conditions for workers. Mediation should be based on the principles of dialogue and compromise, not domination. Apparently, patients have to face problems when hospital staff go on strike because they are the backbone of the healthcare system. It is the duty of health workers to safeguard the health of patients. A strike is no solution as patients bear the brunt.

Anita K Tandon, Kharar

Keep patients’ woes in mind

Our government behaves the same way as the British. The authorities concerned neither talk to workers nor do they try to properly take up their grievances. In such a scenario, workers resort to strikes. Though it affects healthcare services and cause inconvenience to patients. The protesters should also keep in mind difficulties faced by the Administration as well as patients. Both parties should find some amicable way to solve various issues.

Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh

‘Service before self’

Causing inconvenience to patients is not in line of the motto: “Service before self”. At the same time, the authorities must ensure that workers’ legitimate demands are met and basic OPD/elective OT services are not affected. Health workers may be allowed to wear black badges and work extra hours, showing their service toward patients, rather than going on strike to press for their demands.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

Regularise services of contract staff

The effect on OPD patients and those waiting for surgeries would have been very bad if the workers had not joined their duty the same day. The PGI must consider sympathetically regularising the services of the contractual staff, so that such a situation does not arise in future.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Hold regular meetings with staff

Though the strike by the contractual workers is not an appreciable step, they do no less work than their regular counterparts. Rather, they do their work more efficiently as the sword of uncertainty always hangs over their heads. Why does the Administration wait for a strike call by agitating workers. The Administration should meet their representatives from time to time to know their demands and meet the genuine ones. They are always at the mercy of the agency which hires them. Also, the payment to these outsourced persons should be credited directly by the office in which they are employed (as done for regular workers), not by the contractors. It will help in preventing strikes to a great extent.

Savita Kuthiala, Chandigarh

Don’t go on strike for minor reasons

Every coin has two sides. Health services are very important for the public. The best way out of a difficulty is to wade through it. The employers and employees should maintain a sweet and soft relationship. Workers should understand the importance of healthcare services. They should not go on strike for minor reasons. They must submit the notice of strike in a proper way. Employers should meet workers’ genuine demands immediately in the interests of patients. Every problem can be solved through negotiations. No doubt every worker can raise his or her voice to get justice in a democracy. However, they should understand the effects of disruption in healthcare services.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Ensure healthy working culture

Strike is a failure on the part of the Administration. It should timely understand the genuine demands of employees and resolve them on priority. A delayed response by the authorities give rise to negative feelings among employees. Most employees want to do work sincerely, but only demand a healthy working culture. It’s the duty of the Administration to provide a healthy working culture, rather than suppressing workers. Issues should be resolved at the earliest.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Strike by health workers unethical

It must be recognised that doctors and healthcare workers (HCWs) are ethically obliged to provide the best possible care to patients. Suspension of services or strike by doctors and HCWs will not only lead to an increased number of patient deaths but also a total failure of healthcare service delivery. There must be a law to deny such employee groups the right to strike. There should not be arbitrary actions such as terminating services of striking doctors or threats of unjustifiable disciplinary action by regulatory authorities. Strict action must be taken against health workers who go on strike.

Advocate Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

Workers have no right to stop health services

PGI workers have no right to protest by stopping healthcare services which leads to a lot of inconvenience to OPD patients who come from far-off places. Instead of striking work, the contractual staff should have put their demands before the authorities concerned through delegations. These delegations must pressurise hospitals and governments to look into the demands of unions. Deliberations always make way for resolutions and no dispute can be resolved by striking work. It only results in a lot of inconvenience to the general public.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Authorities must shun wait-and-watch policy

The strike call by the contractual staff of the PGI caused a lot of inconvenience to patients. Such strikes are the end result of simmering discontent and grievances which are not redressed for a long time.

However, strike is not the only solution. The PGI authorities should introspect the reason for the situation coming to such pass. At the same time, they should never undervalue the importance of service to patients. It seems there is a lack of trust and the problems of the staff perhaps were overlooked. There is a need to improve the grievance-redressal system. The authorities should not adopt a wait-and-watch policy.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Negotiate with staff as soon as possible

It is a wrong approach to press for demands by disrupting healthcare services and causing inconvenience to patients. Strike is no solution to every problem. The authorities concerned should negotiate with the PGI contractual workers to solve their issues as soon as possible. The UT Administration must listen to the grievances of the employees of any department and try to keep better relations with them.

Adish Sood, Amloh

Timely action by authorities needed

The strike by health workers should be resorted to as a last option by unions. The authorities concerned should also ensure time-bound resolutions of the agitating staff’s issues. The aim should be to avoid inconvenience to patients who visit the hospital in agony and distress. Inconvenience to the public could be avoided by timely action.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Resolve disputes amicably

A lack of an effective grievance-redressal mechanism leads to strike. The union and the PGI authorities could have met and a way out could be found to prevent the strike call. Taking a cue from the strike call given by the PGI workers, an effective grievance-redressal mechanism should be put in place. Communication channels should be opened between workers and the authorities to amicably resolve any dispute that may arise.

Dr Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh

Know that With rights, come duties

The strike call given by healthcare workers of the PGI inconvenienced more than 4,000 patients. They should have called off the strike without putting patients’ health at risk. Workers should understand that with right, come duties. They should have gone for a peaceful protest without causing any problem to the public. Also, they should have adhered to their ethical conduct.

Garv Bhupesh, Chandigarh

Need for Keeping a backup plan ready

The authorities were informed about the strike call by healthcare workers in advance, yet no backup plan was formulated to counter it. How could the health of innocent and sick people be put at stake? This is a sheer ignorance and failure on the part of the workers and the Health Department. Important and urgent works should have continued without hindrance.

Anju Mohan, Panchkula

Need to take some concrete steps

There is a need to take some concrete steps to not only improve the lot of workers but also the status of the City Beautiful. The authorities concerned should adopt the simple formula: “Permanent work with permanent staff”. The concept of contractual, ad hoc, outsourced workers needs to be dispensed with to have a smooth work culture in the city.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Ban strikes in hospitals under law

Rather than managing the impending crisis, the PGI authorities allowed the situation to spin out of control. Strikes by any type of staff in hospitals and other essential services should be banned under law. Whoever was responsible for the impasse should be held accountable. The PGI, being a government institute, no one really bothers about fixing accountability. The Central Government has a great task ahead to deal with the present crisis facing the PGI. Already overburdened, it is really in a sorry state of affairs.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Need to Find a peaceful solution

This strike call is not at all justified. Instead of striking work, the PGI workers should have opted for a silent protest or tried to find a solution peacefully. The authorities are also responsible for the situation as they should have made efforts to meet the demands of the workers. Both sides are equally responsible for the undesirable scenario and should work to ensure that such a problem does not arise again.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

No strike should be held at patients’ cost

The strike call given by the PGI health workers affected around 4,000 patients. No strike should be organised at patients’ cost. The PGI staff should find a better way to press for their demands without putting patients’ lives at risk. It should be their first priority to assist patients at all times.

Naman Mittal, Kaithal

Don’t allow things to escalate

To protest is a right of workers in a democracy. But striking work by health workers endangering the human lives is totally unethical. There are other ways to show your anguish. The Administration should be vigilant. As soon as the authorities see discontent brewing up among workers, they should call union leaders for talks. Don’t allow the matters to escalate by delaying or ignoring workers. They must be given due attention and respect which they deserve.

Sqn Ldr Manjit Singh Johar (retd), Chandigarh

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