Healthcare workers, officers and nurses at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have given an indefinite strike notice from October 25 pressing a range of demands. The issue is before the Central Labour Commissioner for conciliation.

General Secretaries and President’s of the three recognised unions in AIIMS - the AIIMS Nurses Union, Karmachari Union - AIIMS and the Officers Association of AIIMS - said in the strike notice served to the AIIMS Director and the CLC that they have no other way than launching a strike.

‘Parity on bonus’

One of the major demand is the implementation of AIIMS Regulation 35 to ensure bonus and similar benefits available to the officers of Government of India. “When we ask for bonus, the Centre says AIIMS is an autonomous body and uses that to deny us benefits of Central Government employees. But the AIIMS Regulation clearly says that we are entitled to other benefits of Central Government employees,” said Fameer CK, general secretary of the Nurses Union. He said they have decided to go on strike as the Centre turned down their repeated requests for parity in wages and benefits.

“We stopped the strike as per the direction of Delhi High Court in December, 2020. The AIIMS management promised the court that our demands will be considered, but nothing happened. We are being forced to call another strike now,” he added.

When contacted, an official in the CLC said the reconciliation efforts will begin soon. “We have received their notice. We will start a tripartite reconciliation,” the official added.

‘Other demands’

The other demands include that the compassionate appointments may be made as one-time qualification of the candidates, switching back to the old pension scheme from the new pension scheme, enhancement of management contribution to the NPS from 10 per cent to 14 per cent. “Retired employees may be given option to choose EHS/ CGHS Facility,” the charter said.

When asked if it’s fair to go in strike at the time of a health emergency in the country, Fameer said almost 80 per cent of the employees in AIIMS and their family members got infected with Covid-19 during the first and second waves that hit New Delhi.

“We lost at least six of our colleagues to Covid. We understand the crisis, but our long pending demands should be considered so that it will give a message that the Government really values healthcare sector workers,” he said.

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