GMOA to resort island wide TU action on Monday

The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has said it would resort to an island wide Trade Union (TU) action on Monday (21) in view of protecting the National Wage Policy, which is being violated through Cabinet decisions.

"The decision was made by the GMOA General Committee. We earnestly request your good offices to grant us an urgent appointment to discuss this matter in order to maintain uninterrupted health care delivery.
Failure to ensure the proper salary structure would result in a human resource shortage and industrial turbulence" the Association said.

"In 2003, salaries were revised by Ministerial Committees through Cabinet decisions. This action has resulted in a chain of trade union actions compromising the whole government sector, especially the health sector in particular. The implementation of the national wage policy in 2006 resulted in minimizing salary-based trade union actions, which was a hallmark of government service of yore, bringing this disrepute while disrupting key services frequently," the GMOA went on saying.

While resorting to trade union action, the GMOA demands that the government stop revising salaries and related issues through Cabinet decisions, implement salary and related revisions through the National Salaries and Cadre Commission, and enhance its potential to deal with great confidence and to improve salaries in the government sector based on the National Wage Policy by ensuring the enhancement of the existing National Wage Policy with regard to its unattended aspects. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)