Thursday, July 14, 2005
Health workers complain of indifference to demands by officials
By Damitha Hemachandra
Friday, July 08, 2005
Health Services Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA) yesterday staged a protest opposite the Health Ministry against what they called the indifference shown by the health officials to the demands and the working situation of the health officials.
HSTUA President, Saman Rathnapriya told the Daily Mirror that health officials had so far failed to respond to the demands of the health workers with a view to force them to take up trade union action and tarnish the image of the free health service in the country in the eyes of the public.
The HSTUA demands include the issuing of a circular to correct salary scales as fixed by the budget, amendments to grades and portfolios to create a quality health service, providing junior health workers with training and introducing a new post of health assistant to assist Junior Health Workers.
Rathnapriya said despite reminding and peaceful campaigns launched by the HSTUA the Health Ministry had refused to grant or discuss the demands forcing them to seek trade union action and alleged that it was an attempt by the Ministry to disrupt public health service and hand over its operations to the private sector.
Meanwhile Ayurvedic health workers attached to government service will launch a two-day token strike starting from today with a protest march at the Borella Ayurvedic Hospital.
Dr. U.C.K.Samarakoon of the All Ceylon Health Services Union (ACHSU) said that the Ministry of Ayurveda had been ignoring the rights of the Ayurvedic workers for the past eleven months with mere lip service without granting a permanent solution to salary anomalies of the Ayurveda workers.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Health Services Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA) yesterday staged a protest opposite the Health Ministry against what they called the indifference shown by the health officials to the demands and the working situation of the health officials.
HSTUA President, Saman Rathnapriya told the Daily Mirror that health officials had so far failed to respond to the demands of the health workers with a view to force them to take up trade union action and tarnish the image of the free health service in the country in the eyes of the public.
The HSTUA demands include the issuing of a circular to correct salary scales as fixed by the budget, amendments to grades and portfolios to create a quality health service, providing junior health workers with training and introducing a new post of health assistant to assist Junior Health Workers.
Rathnapriya said despite reminding and peaceful campaigns launched by the HSTUA the Health Ministry had refused to grant or discuss the demands forcing them to seek trade union action and alleged that it was an attempt by the Ministry to disrupt public health service and hand over its operations to the private sector.
Meanwhile Ayurvedic health workers attached to government service will launch a two-day token strike starting from today with a protest march at the Borella Ayurvedic Hospital.
Dr. U.C.K.Samarakoon of the All Ceylon Health Services Union (ACHSU) said that the Ministry of Ayurveda had been ignoring the rights of the Ayurvedic workers for the past eleven months with mere lip service without granting a permanent solution to salary anomalies of the Ayurveda workers.
