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Nurses' strike: Delhi HC directs AIIMS to form board to hear staff's grievances
Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain, appearing for AIIMS, said that doctors were not allowed to go inside the main operation theatre (OT) during Tuesday's strike. He added that after seeing the video, a show-cause notice has been issued to 37 members and five office bearers of the union.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to form a board for hearing grievances of the employees after the nurses of the hospital called off their strike on Tuesday night, news agency ANI reported. The court also asked both parties to maintain harmony given AIIMS is an institute of excellence and its functioning should not be impacted.
"Do not take any immediate action. Let things cool down. Take undertaking, set up a board. You have to strike a balance," Justice Yashwant Varma directed the AIIMS.
The court said the competent office-bearer of the nursing union will give an undertaking of good behaviour of their members. To this, advocate Abhijat, appearing for the nurses union said that it needs time to file a reply.
“We will give an undertaking within 24 hours,” Abhijat added.
Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain, appearing for the AIIMS, said doctors were not allowed to go inside the main operation theatre (OT) during Tuesday's strike. He added that after seeing the video, a show-cause notice has been issued to 37 members and five office-bearers of the union.
A petition has been listed in the matter on July 29, 2022, for further hearing.
On Tuesday, the high court directed the AIIMS Nurses' Union to ensure all employees, who are on strike, rejoin duties immediately.
The matter first began on April 22 when a group of nurses headed by AIIMS nurses union president Harish Kajla entered the main OT of the hospital to protest against the manpower crunch in the nursing department, and also allegedly misbehaved with a resident doctor. First, show-cause notices were handed to four members of the nursing staff and on Monday, Kajla was suspended with “immediate effect”.
Later, in a letter addressed to AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, the union wrote, “In response to your unilateral decision to suspend Harish Kajala, president of AllMS Nurses' Union, without even citing proper reasons, the union has called an emergency executive meeting took the decision to go on indefinite strike from 8am on April 26 demanding immediate revocation of suspension…and stopping of all kinds of retaliative measures against union executives and Union members of main operation theatre (OT).”
The protest was called off on Tuesday night, with a representative of the union telling HT that it will decide the future course of action based on the court proceedings.
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