Delhi HC restrains Nurses Union from continuing strike, AIIMS extends invite for meeting

The Delhi High Court has restrained thousands of protesting nurses of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from continuing with their agitation. Issuing a notice to nurses' union on Tuesday, the Delhi HC has asked nursing officials to resume work. The union had set off on an indefinite strike on Monday over their long-pending demands, leaving the country's premier medical institute handicapped without their assistance. 

Hours after issuing a statement to the protesting staff, the AIIMS administration has also extended an invitation to the nurses' union for a meeting at 5 pm today. The invitation comes right after the High Court's restraining order, in which, Justice Navin Chawla remarked, "Keeping in view of the submissions and assurances made by AIIMS that it would look into the grievances of the respondents (nurses), this union is restrained from continuing the strike." 

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AIIMS writes to protesting nurses

In the letter to the nurses' union on Tuesday morning, AIIMS administration issued a warning to the nursing staff, highlighting that their attendance is constantly being marked. The ones who won't resume services will have their attendance marked as absent, the letter read. Meanwhile, the Union Health Minister has also directed AIIMS, New Delhi to ensure that there is no disruption of nursing functions amid the indefinite strike. The Ministry said, any action causing disruption of nursing functions at AIIMS will be treated as an offence under the Disaster Management Act and action will be taken accordingly.

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The AIIMS Nurses Union has mainly demanded the implementation of the 6th Central Pay Commission which will ensure better remuneration. In the letter signed by the Union's President, the nurses have highlighted that the 6th Pay Commission was agreed upon by the Health Ministry in October 2019. The union has also expressed shock upon the decision by AIIMS administration to recruit nursing officials on contractual basis adding that it is against the strike demands. 

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"This all shows the callous attitude of the administration towards AIIMS nurses. In response to this, an emergency EBM held on December 14 and available union members unanimously decided to go for indefinite strike from today afternoon with immediate effect. AIIMS administration will be responsible for the all untoward events," the letter by the AIIMS nurses union reads. 

AIIMS Director appeals to call off strike

Responding to the strike call, AIIMS Delhi Director Randeep Guleria has urged the nursing staff to call off the protest to help 'get through the pandemic'. In a video message released on Monday, the AIIMS Director issued an emotional appeal and stated that the union has gone on a strike only a few months before the arrival of the vaccine. Guleria also highlighted that the union had made 23 demands, out of which most had been met. Although he added, the demand on a perceived anomaly about the fixation of initial pay under the sixth pay commission is yet to be fulfilled. Guleria said that the government has agreed to view this sympathetically as a fresh demand and asked the Department of Expenditure to consider it.

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