Shimla hospital staff demand regular pay-scale, strike work

Shimla, August 27

Hundreds of patients visiting Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) faced inconvenience as 55 employees of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) went on a pen-down strike against the non-fulfillment of their long-pending demand of a regular pay-scale.

The patients had to wait for hours to get medical treatment. The services were resumed after the protesters called off the strike at 2 pm.

RKS Union president Arvind Pal said, “Our demand of a regular pay-scale for 55 employees is pending for a long time. As per policy, the employees are provided regular pay-scale after eight years of service.”

He said the RKS employees at the IGMC had completed eight years in December 2021. Despite being approved twice in the governing body meeting, the decision on the pay-scale is pending, he added.

The union president said, “It is beyond our understanding that when 11 employees are being provided regular pay-scales at the Dr Rajindra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda and nine employees at the Dr YS Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan, are being given regular pay-scale, why the RKS employees at the IGMC are not getting the same treatment despite completing their tenure.”

“We don’t want assurance, but need it in writing or else we will continue with our strike till September 1. If the state government failed to fulfil our demand, we will go on a full-fledged strike from September 2 onwards,” he added.

“The RKS employees are working with full dedication and honesty, but depriving them of their rights will affect their morale. We request the government and administration to meet our demand,” he said.

The RKS employees work as data entry operators in IT section, dark room assistants, lab assistants and Class IV employees at the IGMC.