Government medical officers and university academics launched a lightning 24-hour token strike in Sri Lanka on Thursday to press home several festering demands, officials said.
The all-powerful Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) that called for the stoppage said in a statement that the trade union will be called off at 8.00am local time on Friday but will thereafter continue in stages over the coming days starting from different provinces in the country.
The GMOA said the trade union action was initiated as a protest against the government’s tax policies and delays in providing solutions for salary increases.
The GMOA, however, said that it would spare the maternity, cancer, children’s, nephrology as well as the tri-forces hospitals.
The Association accused the authorities, of turning a blind eye on the issues that includes the brain drain of doctors, and that the Government should take responsibility for the inconveniences faced by the patients as a result of these strikes.
Meanwhile, lecturers at all 17 State universities throughout country also joined in Thursday’s token strike.
The trade union action was called by State Service Trade Unions Alliance and the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA).
The trade union action was initiated as a protest against the prevailing salary issue and the slashing of funds granted to State universities.
