SunstarTV Bureau: The Delhi High Court restrained the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Nurses’ Union from continuing their indefinite strike, reported Bar and Bench, today.
The order was passed by the single-judge Bench of Justice Navin Chawla on a petition by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
Meanwhile, followed by the court’s order AIIMS administration has extended an invitation to the protesting AIIMS Nurses Union for a meeting at 5 pm, today.
AIIMS administration extends an invitation to the protesting AIIMS Nurses Union for a meeting at 5 pm, today https://t.co/PVvzIRro1w
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2020
AIIMS administration issues letter to the protesting nursing staff stating, “It may be ensured that attendance of all the Nursing personnel who report for duty is mandatorily recorded and those absent, to be marked as such.”
AIIMS’ plea
In its plea, the AIIMS had alleged that the strike was illegal as it violated the Industrial Disputes Act as well as a Division Bench order prohibiting any such action by AIIMS employees. It added that AIIMS being a “public utility” the ongoing strike by its nurses was against public interest. “Nurses left their jobs, all clinical work. AIIMS is a Covid hospital,” said the hospital’s counsel.
Reason behind Nurses’ strike
About 5,000 nurses began their strike on Monday afternoon. Their demands include the correction of an anomaly in the fixation of the initial pay based on the Sixth Central Pay Commission, addressing various matters such as removal of gender-based reservation in the recruiting process of nursing officers, the abolishment of contractual appointments, enhancement of hospital accommodation and cadre restructuring.
