Date:27/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/27/stories/2007112753870400.htm

New Delhi

Staff of major hospitals to go on strike today

Staff Reporter

Demand for filling up vacant posts in Govt. hospitals

“Privatisation and hiring of contract staff be stopped”
“Irregularities in the basic pay scale be removed”

NEW DELHI: Group C and D staff of five major hospitals in the Capital -- Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan, Guru Nayak Eye Centre, Mulana Azad Medical and Dental College and G. B. Pant Hospital -- will go on a 24-hour strike beginning 6 a.m. on Tuesday. In a show of solidarity, employees and staff nurses of other Delhi Government hospitals, including Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Guru Gobind Singh and Lady Hardinge, will observe “Black Day” on Tuesday and hold a protest demonstration in the hospital premises during lunch hour.

The employees had warned about the strike earlier stating that the Government was not paying any attention to their longstanding demands. Members of the group said despite reminders the Government had not taken their problems seriously.

The employees have been demanding that privatisation and hiring of staff on contract be stopped, 2,500-odd vacant posts across various Delhi Government hospitals be filled up immediately, irregularities in the basic pay scale be removed and hospital employees be given free health cover.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital Workers’ Union president Dharamvir Bhardwaj said: “We have been forced to take such a tough stand and though we are aware of the fact that the common man will have to bear the brunt of the decision there is little that we can do about it. We also want to state that in case the Government is still not serious about providing us relief, we will have to intensify our agitation.”