E-Paper
Barnala hospital staff protest over ‘unjust’ dismissal of 2 employees
The union claimed that a gardener and a sweeper, both long-serving staff members, were terminated abruptly and without following due process. Protesters termed the action a violation of employee rights and hospital protocol.
Members of the Class Four Union at Barnala civil hospital staged a protest on Thursday outside the office of senior medical officer (SMO) Baljit Singh, demanding the reinstatement of two employees who were allegedly dismissed without notice.
The union claimed that a gardener and a sweeper, both long-serving staff members, were terminated abruptly and without following due process. Protesters termed the action a violation of employee rights and hospital protocol.
Ramesh Kumar, president of the union, said, “If there was any misconduct, the employees should have been given a chance to respond. No show cause notice or explanation was issued before termination.”
Harmandeep Singh, president of the Outsource Mulazim Union, said previous attempts to resolve the issue were ignored. “We gave a 48-hour ultimatum on July 15 which expired today. If our demands are not met, we’ll take this to a higher level.”
Acting SMO Dr Gagandeep said the employees were removed following reports of indiscipline, and replacements have already been arranged.
The union has vowed to continue its protest until the dismissed employees are reinstated or a fair inquiry is conducted.
