Health employees plan indefinite strike in support of demands

Puducherry Jan 31 (PTI): Confederation of Health Employeesof Puducherry today said they would go on an indefinite strikeon February 16 in support of their charter of demands.

They would first go on mass casual leave on February 9 andthe indefinite strike seven days later, confederationPresident M Kalaiselvam said today.

In a press release here he said they were against thecurrent system of appointing retired workers in various wingsin Indira Gandhi government medical college and its hospitaland also in Rajiv Gandhi government women and childrenhospital.

Though there were a number of vacancies in the college andits hospital and also in the maternity hospital,the governmentwas posting retired staff, depriving qualified unemployedgraduates from getting jobs. Workers already in service werealso deprived of promotions, he said.

The delay in implementing Assured Career Progression andModified ACP was also depriving senior employees of gettinghigher pay and allowances. Shortage of nursing staff ingovernment hospitals has also not been addressed, he said.

Though the maternity hospital bed strength has been raised,paramedical staff were not posted adequately, causing workloadfor existing staff, he said.