KGMU staff to go on indefinite strike over delay in cadre restructuring

KGMU employees, under the banner of the employees' Council, have given an ultimatum to the authorities. Almost 9,000 staff at KGMU, including paramedics, technicians, nurses and the strike are most likely to stop work at OPD, diagnostic facilities and even OTs. KGMU officials confirmed that they are talking to the protesting employees to convince them to continue the work, reports Times of India.

Even employees deployed at emergency services at Trauma Centre and other departments could stop working and this can cause major inconvenience to patients.

As per an earlier media report by TOI, last month the employees of King George's Medical University boycotted work in mid-November demanding a higher pay scale. After the day-long strike, the employees had a meeting with the KGMU administration after which the employees decided to hold off their protest for the next one month as they considered the assurances made by the authorities. The strike was put on hold for a month. However, now the employees have decided to start their agitation again.

The employees considered a letter by the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) to the KGMU registrar and it was conveyed that cadre restructures of KGMU employees had been in process at the government level. "Against the university's list of 42 cadres, government order has been received for two cadres. The status of restructuring 14 other cadres is in the final stages which will be completed in the next one month. The process to expedite decisions on the remaining cadres is also being tried," the DGME's letter read.

However, now after almost one month, the employees have again decided to resume their agitation and boycott work from Friday.

Pradip Gangwar, president, KGMU Employees' Council told TOI, "For the past five years, we have been waiting for cadre restructuring at par with the SGPGIMS and wage revision. We boycotted work in November and after assurance from the state government, we postponed our protest. We are now forced to give a call for an indefinite strike."