Health sector strike called off

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 September 2003, 17:15 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Health Sector Trade Union Alliance Monday evening decided to temporarily suspend its thirteen-day-old strike when the Health Ministry issued a circular providing solutions to many of its demands, its spokesman Mr.Saman Ratnapriya said.

All members of the HSTUA would report for duty on Tuesday morning, spokesman added.

The executive committee of the HSTUA met in an emergency session Monday evening immediately on receipt of the ministry circular. The cirular ensured job security to all temporary, casual and relief workers on whom the government had served vacation of post notices for joining the strike. The HSTUA took the decision to suspend its strike action , sources said.

HSTUA launched this strike demanding a salary increase and the removal of salary anomalies to health sector employees, sources said

Meanwhile the HSTUA spokesman added that the government has provided solutions to many of their demands through the circular issued Monday evening and the government has also promised to inform the trade union the decision of the Treasury on the question of salary increase on November 4. Hence the ex-co of the HSTUA decided to suspend its strike, spokesman said.