AIIMS Bathinda nursing staff end strike, report to work

Medical superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar said the nurses reported back to work in the evening. The central institute has about 580 nursing officers who were protesting since November 25.

A day after the management of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, accepted the key demands of the nursing staff, the employees ended their strike on Tuesday.

The protesting staff were staying out of the out-patient department (OPDs) while nurses reported to work in the emergency ward and intensive care unit (ICU). (HT file)

Medical superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar said the nurses reported back to work in the evening. The central institute has about 580 nursing officers who were protesting since November 25.

The protesting staff were staying out of the out-patient department (OPDs) while nurses reported to work in the emergency ward and intensive care unit (ICU).

The strike had severely hit the patient care services. AIIMS spokesperson Dr Tarun Goyal said the protesters met the deputy director of administration, Lt Col Rajeev Sen Roy, on Tuesday where the institute authorities reiterated the assurances given on Monday, including enhancing monthly leaves from six to eight and providing the nursing staff leaves under the Central Civil Service (CCS) rules.

Goyal said a delegation of protesters was once again assured that the institute management would not mark the protesting staff absent since December 6 nor would their salaries be deducted.