Nurses Union of Delhi AIIMS called off their strike at night on Tuesday, 15 December, after a meeting with the hospital administration, hours after the Delhi High Court restrained it from continuing its agitation.
On Monday, Nurses at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi went on an indefinite strike, citing a list of demands that also include one related to the 6th Central Pay Commission.
“They (nurses) have called off their strike and have joined their duties,” PTI quoted AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria as saying.
In the meeting between the hospital administration and the Nurses Union that lasted for nearly two hours, the administration assured that all the local issues would be addressed immediately, while those pertaining to the ministry will be dealt with separately as early as possible, reported PTI.
Following the meeting, the union called off the strike.
Demands of the Nurses Union
The union demanded a correction of an anomaly in the fixation of the initial payment as per the sixth CPC, redressal of issues such as the abolishment of gender-based reservation in the recruiting process of nursing officers and contractual appointments, enhancement of hospital accommodation and cadre restructuring.
Delhi HC Restrains Nurses from Continuing Strike
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court restrained the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nurses Union from continuing with their indefinite strike till the next hearing scheduled for 18 January, ANI reported.
Justice Navin Chawla directed the union to restrain from strike after AIIMS said the grievances of the union were being considered by the authorities.
The nurses at AIIMS, Delhi, went on an indefinite strike on Monday afternoon, citing a list of demands that also include one related to the 6th Central Pay Commission. Services have been interrupted due to the strike after the AIIMS’ administration and health department refused their demands.
AIIMS Invites Nurses for Talks
The administration had earlier issued a letter to the protesting nursing staff, stating that the attendance of all the nursing personnel who report for duty is being mandatorily recorded and those absent are being marked as such.
Dr Randeep Guleria, the Director of AIIMS, on Monday had made an emotional request to the Nurses’ Union, which declared the strike, to “not go on strike and come back and work and help us get through the pandemic.”
The Health Ministry on Monday had directed that there should be “no cessation or disruption of nursing functions in AIIMS nor such an action aided or abetted.”
“It's hereby directed that AlIMS Delhi should ensure that the directions of the Delhi High Court are strictly complied with without fail,” Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Health Ministry had said.
The ministry had further said that non-compliance will be treated as an offence under the Disaster Management Act read with the Indian Penal Code.
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