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Despite demands met, AIIMS Bathinda nurses to continue strike
After series of meetings, top authorities agreed to grant eight leaves per month to nurses and assured to provide them leaves under Central Civil Service rules.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) nursing staff refused to end the ongoing indefinite strike even as the hospital administration accepted their key demands on Monday.
After a series of meetings since Sunday, the top authorities agreed to grant eight leaves per month to nurses and assured to provide them leaves under Central Civil Service (CCS) rules.
AIIMS spokesperson Dr Tarun Goyal said at a meeting held on Monday evening that the institute management also agreed not to mark the nursing staff on protest absent since December 6 or to deduct their salaries.
Hospital management clarified that it had no issues in extending leaves provided the nursing officers ensure that the patient care will not be affected and work will be done according to their charter of duties.
Read Here | AIIMS Bathinda protest: Nursing staff threaten to boycott ICU, emergency ward work
“Executive director has also assured that institute body meeting will be held on priority, most likely by January 2024, to resolve the issue of the clearance of their probation. Subsequently, promotions of the eligible staff will also be done. Unfortunately, the staff is adamant not to end the indefinite strike that has impacted the patient care,” said Goyal.
In a press note issued in the evening, the protesting staff said the agitation will be recalled only after the institute gives a written assurance that no action will be taken in future against the staff involved in the agitation and to withdraw notices served to nearly 15 nurses for participating in the strike.
“Both parties agreed on various demands but the AIIMS authorities refused to give us in writing that protesters will not be targeted in future. The AIIMS administration remained adamant on not furnishing a written assurance that no administrative action will be initiated,” said a press statement by a nurse leader, who did not wish to be identified.
AIIMS has about 580 nursing officers who have been protesting since November 25. The protesting staff is staying out of the out-patient department (OPDs) while nurses reported to work in the emergency ward and intensive care unit (ICU) six days back.
