Nursing staff across Odisha to continue strike

The nursing officers on Wednesday announced to continue their strike as the talks between the State Health Secretary Shalini Pandit and the representatives of Odisha Nursing Employees' Union (ONEA) have failed, officials said. 

A meeting was held between the officer bearers of ONEA and the Health Secretary at the Health and Family Welfare department's Conference Hall earlier in the day. 

The nursing staff of the government hospitals across Odisha under the banner of ONEA have launched a two-day strike from Wednesday defying the Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), 1988, imposed by the state government. 

The nursing officers have been demanding the fulfilment of their 10-point demand. 

The representatives of ONEA were assured that the government will engage with them in future and the issues raised by them will be considered sympathetically at appropriate times. 

"As theirs is an essential service, it was requested that they desist from the agitational path, withdraw their strike and resume duty immediately," said the state government. 

Suchismita Dash, ONEA President, said that the union wanted the government to set up a high-level committee comprising officials from different departments, especially the Finance department to address our demands. 

"The Health Secretary sought more time to examine our demands. However, she didn't even mention any specific time period by which the government will address our grievances. We are not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion with the Health Secretary and decided to continue the strike," Dash told IANS. 

The nursing officers have also threatened to cease their work completely at all the government health facilities in the state from September 27 if their demands are not met at the earliest.

The union has placed a 10-point charter of demands, including the regularisation of contractual service of nurses, change of dress code of nurses and administrative posts in nursing service cadre, stop the engagement of nursing officers through outsourcing agencies, place-based incentives for nursing officers/employees who are working in tribal-dominated areas.