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| Sunday, 1 February 2004 |
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The Health Service Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA) yesterday decided to continue with their death fast, despite two of its conveners being signatory to an agreement with the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Welfare, on Friday, to the salary anomalies being rectified on a step by step basis. A HSTUA spokesman said that they had decided to continue with the strike as the agreement had not been presented as an official circular. " We are not ready to accept a document signed only by the Minister. It should have some legal validity", Co-Convenor of the HSTUA, Saman Ratnapriya pointed out. After detailed discussions on Friday, attended by the Minister of Health, Minister of Lands, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, two conveners of the HSTUA and two advisors to the Prime Minister, it was agreed that 60 per cent of the difference between the present and proposed basic salaries would be paid with effect from January 1, 2004, 15 per cent to be paid from September 1, 2004 and the remainder from January 1, 2005. The conversion was to be based on the salary scales recommended by the Ministry Committee appointed to rectify salary discrepancies among different categories of the health cadre. It was also agreed that all grades of PSM categories would be placed one step below corresponding scales of Nursing Officers, with effect from January 1, 2004. Ratnapriya said that the Executive Committee of the Alliance which met on Saturday night had decided to call for strike action while continuing the death fast which they commenced on January 26. They have also decided to join the picketing campaign in front of the Fort Railway Station on February 3 organised by the striking railway employees. All public sector trade unions are expected to participate in the campaign to urge the government to resolve the railway issue favourably. Meanwhile the Railway Trade Union Alliance confirmed late yesterday night that they would continue with their strike action until the government found a solution to their problem. W. Amarasena, Co-Convenor of the Union Alliance said that discussion with Minister Rajitha Senaratne and officials from the Prime Minister's office had not been successful and hence they were compelled to continue with the strike. (DPL) |
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