Around 1,200 employees at JJ Hospital launch indefinite strike

Mumbai: Approximately 1,200 employees at JJ Hospital joined the indefinite strike that commenced on Wednesday, July 3, to demand the prompt filling of job vacancies through direct hiring and the retention of transferred employees as their primary request.

The protesting employees are demanding a quicker hiring process due to the increasing number of patients, which is causing them stress. They are also worried about the ageing current employees who are near retirement.

The Medical Dialogues team on July 2 reported that the employees at JJ Hospital announced an indefinite strike beginning July 3, citing several unmet demands. The demands included strict measures against those who assault hospital employees and the reintroduction of the old pension scheme for transferred workers.

Also read- JJ Hospital Staff To Go On Indefinite Strike From July 3 Over Unmet Demands

The employees' union has stated that the responsibility for any disruptions to patient care will rest squarely on the shoulders of the government and hospital administration. JJ Hospital, which currently has 1,352 approved beds, has been grappling with a growing influx of patients against a backdrop of severe staff shortages, exacerbated by unfilled vacancies for the past decade. Patient care is severely affected as, in the last 10 years, no initiative has been taken to fill up the vacancies.

The union emphasized that the increasing patient load, coupled with the failure to recruit sufficient staff, has placed immense pressure on the existing workforce. This strain is compromising the quality of patient care and adversely affecting the mental and physical well-being of hospital employees. Staff members are unable to take personal leave, which has only worsened their overall health and morale.

Despite repeated appeals from the employees' association to address these issues, the hospital administration has been slow to act. The union has accused the administration of deliberately delaying the recruitment process, opting for a protracted approach to fill vacant positions instead of taking immediate action. Therefore, hospital employees on Tuesday gave an ultimatum that the 'work bandh non-cooperation movement’ will be held from July 3, 2024.

The employees told HT, "Many current employees are nearing retirement age, and no new staffers have been hired for the past nine to ten years, thereby exacerbating the situation."

Satyawan Sawant, general secretary of the Hospital Staff Association told the daily, “Employees are struggling to manage the increased workload. They can’t even take time off for personal reasons, as there is no one to fill in for them, which is affecting their mental and physical health. This situation could harm patient care at the hospital. There is an urgent need to hire Class 4 and other staff directly. Without this, the public’s trust in the hospital will decline.”

Similarly, Krishna Renose, president of the Hospital Staff Association, said "The recruitment process needs to start soon. The association has informed the administration that any problems with patient care will be their responsibility. We are hoping for a positive response to these issues soon.”

Meanwhile, Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, JJ Hospital, said, “There was no impact on patient care on Day One. However, keeping in mind the future direction of the movement, employees from other government departments or through external sources will be appointed on a temporary basis. Care will be taken to ensure that patient care is not disrupted. Statements of the employees have been sent to the government from time to time. Our department commissioner also had discussions with them.”

Also read- Toxic Work Culture Allegations At JJ Hospital: Nearly 900 Resident Doctors Go On Indefinite Strike From Today