Employees of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) have decided to end their strike over non-payment of salaries and rejoin duties from Thursday after an assurance in person by the state's director, medical education and research, Dr AS Thind, here on Wednesday.
Agitating for four months, the staff have been on strike for the past more than a week. Doctors had rejoined duties on Tuesday after giving an ultimatum, while all other staff members were still on strike. The institute was leased out by the government for 99 years to the PIMS Medical and Education Charitable Society, headed by cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, during the previous regime of the SAD-BJP alliance.
"I am here on the special instructions of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for resolving your issues," said Dr Thind, at a meeting with the staff. PIMS vice-principal Dr Rajeev Arora and medical superintendent Dr SK Bansal were present too.
Thind later told the media, "We have promised that one month's salary would be transferred to employees' account by Saturday. By the next Saturday, we will transfer another month's salary."
"Soon, all salary-related issues will be resolved," he told the workers.
The employees said they would resume work now, but won't wait any longer than the promised deadline. "We all decided to join our duties on the assurance given by Dr Thind on behalf of the chief minister. But we have no faith on the PIMS administration. If the state government fails to keep its promise, we will resume our strike," they said.
{{/usCountry}}The employees said they would resume work now, but won't wait any longer than the promised deadline. "We all decided to join our duties on the assurance given by Dr Thind on behalf of the chief minister. But we have no faith on the PIMS administration. If the state government fails to keep its promise, we will resume our strike," they said.
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