The All Assam Nurses’ Association (AANA) on Monday started an indefinite strike across Assam demanding amendment to the salary structure published in the Revision of Pay (ROP) of the Seventh Pay Commission. The strike has affected all the medical college hospitals in Assam.
It was a statewide protest and partially affected the functioning of the medical college hospitals in Assam.
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The members of AANA holding placards and banners held protest inside the premises of Assam Medical College and Hospital from 7.30 am to pressurise the Government in support of their demands.
The AANA has demanded that the anomalies of the salary structure published in the ROP of the 7th pay commission be amended, the designation of the staff nurse be revived, ‘same post same salary’ be implemented and service rule of the staff nurse be published.
The Association alleged discrimination in the proposed salary of the general nursing midwifery (GNM) staff in the Seventh Pay Commission report.
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“The monthly salary of a Central Government GNM staff nurse is Rs 9,300. We demand the same pay-scale here. We have been appointed and serving as a staff nurses. The Government has been discriminating us. If our demand would not met early then we will continue our indefinite strike which will paralyzed all medical hospitals in Assam,” said Junu Chutia Dihingia, general secretary of AANA.
Similar protest was also held at Guwahati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) and Jorhat Medical College & Hospital (JMCH).
According to the Association, the current salary structure, Rs 8,700 has been proposed for BSc nursing degree holders, while Rs 6,800 has been fixed as the salary of the ordinary GNM staff nurse.
The Association’s general secretary said, “The GNM designation was dissolved in the Seventh Pay Commission report, while a general position of nurse was created for both the BSc and GNM degree holders. This had created a strong resentment among all GNM staff.”
Around 12,000 permanent staff nurses and around 3,000 casual staff work in several government hospital across Assam.