72 health sector unions to resume strike from Tuesday

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A large number of health sector unions have decided to go on strike from next Tuesday (02) in protest against what they call the government’s failure to grant their demand for the same DAT (Disturband, Attendance and Transport) allowance as doctors.

President of the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine, Ravi Kumudesh told The Island that 72 health sector unions had resorted to trade union action three times since January after the government increased DAT from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 75,000 for doctors.

“We suspended our union action on 18 March because we wanted to give time for the new health minister and the health secretary to resolve the issue. We gave them 10 days, which ended on Thursday (18) and there has not been any attempt to resolve the issue,” he said.

Kumudesh said all health sector trade unions, except three, had decided to join the trade union action that will commence at 6.30 a.m. on 02 April.