The Government Nursing Officers’ Association has raised concerns over the 2025 budget proposal, stating that salary revisions will result in significant financial losses for nurses, ranging from Rs. 6,500 to Rs. 11,500 per month.
In a statement, the association highlighted that the budget, presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on February 17, has created a serious injustice for the nursing profession. A key issue is the reduction in the overtime pay rate, which has been changed from 1/160 to 1/200 of the monthly salary per hour. Given the ongoing shortage of nurses, where a single officer often performs the duties of three, this reduction in overtime compensation further burdens an already overworked sector. Under this revision, an entry-level nurse will lose approximately Rs. 6,500 per month, while special-grade nursing officers (Matrons) will experience a reduction of up to Rs. 11,500.
The association also pointed out that the amount paid for working on public holidays has been reduced from 1/20 to 1/30 of the monthly salary. Since nursing is a service that requires continuous operation throughout the year, nurses regularly work on weekends and public holidays when most other public sector employees are off. Previously, nurses were compensated at 1/20 of their basic salary for such duties, but the budget revision reduces this to 1/30. As a result, nurses who work on public holidays and Sundays will face an additional loss of approximately Rs. 6,000 per month.
Concerns have also been raised regarding changes to the promotion system, which nurses believe to be unfair. The first promotion, previously granted after five years, has now been extended to ten years. The second promotion, which was given after seven years, will now require eleven years. Additionally, the super-grade promotion, which was previously awarded after 22 years of service, has been extended to 31 years, further delaying career progression for nursing officers.
The association warns that once these budget proposals take effect on April 1, 2025, nurses will experience an annual financial loss ranging from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 20,000 due to the reductions in overtime and holiday allowances. They emphasized that the government must recognize the demanding nature of nursing, which requires constant service regardless of holidays or weekends. Given these concerns, the association has urged the government to revise these proposals in future budget readings, stating that if no action is taken, the nursing service will be forced to take further steps to express their dissatisfaction.
