An Extraordinary gazette notification has been issued declaring Electricity Supply and Hospital Services as essential services.
According to the gazette issued by Presidential Secretariat, the Supply of electricity, All Service Work or Labour of any Description whatsoever necessary or required to be done in Connection With the maintenance and the reception, Care feeding etc. as an Essential Public Services.
All service, work or labour, of any description whatsoever, necessary or required to be done in connection with the maintenance, and the reception, care feeding, and treatment, of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, and other similar institution included as an Essential Public Services.
Eighteen health sector trade unions launched a strike action from February 7. Thousands of patients who visited government hospitals were turned away, due to this trade union action. Unions demand from government to eliminate salary disparities as they eliminated the teacher and principal salary anomalies.
District Court of Colombo issued two enjoining orders against Government Nursing Officers’ Association and it’s President Saman Ratnapriya to suspend their trade union action. Despite the order, unions are engaged in the strike. (LankaXpress.com)
