1,500 Punjab nurses go on indefinite strike over pay disparity, services hit

Chandigarh: Healthcare services across three major government medical college hospitals in Patiala, Amritsar, and Mohali have come under severe strain after nearly 1,500 nursing staff went on an indefinite strike starting Thursday, defying the provisions of the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1947 (ESMA).

According to the news reports, the strike has disrupted operations at Rajindra Medical College and Hospital in Patiala, Government Medical College in Amritsar, and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences in Mohali. Nurses recruited after July 17, 2020, have abstained from duty, resulting in an acute shortage of trained staff in hospitals.

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“This demand has been pending for nearly five years in Punjab. In other states and neighbouring regions, nursing personnel are already receiving salaries with the Rs 4,600 grade pay, but Punjab nurses are being paid comparatively lower wages, which do not match their responsibilities and workload,” the Association’s state president Ramanjit Singh Gill said. Gill warned that the agitation would intensify if the government failed to take a prompt, positive decision, reports The Daily.

According to the association, nurses recruited after July 17, 2020, were initially promised salaries under Level 7 but were later downgraded to Level 5 in February 2021. This reduced their starting basic pay to Rs 29,200, compared to Rs 44,900 under Level 7 implemented elsewhere.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Association patron Jujhar Singh Mann termed the move a “cheating,” and said, “We were recruited on higher pay, made to work during COVID, and then downgraded through a 2021 notification. We have been fighting since then for our rightful grade pay.” “We gave three reminders — one in February and two in March — and even held a meeting with Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh and Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul on March 19, but there was no solution. They imposed ESMA on us late Wednesday night, but despite that, we are determined to go ahead with the strike,” Mann said.

Mann also pointed out that new recruits receive only basic pay for their first three years, worsening financial stress. He claimed that Punjab nurses earn Rs 15,000–20,000 less per month compared to their counterparts in neighbouring states like Haryana.

In response, the Punjab government invoked the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1947, on March 25, directing all nursing and essential medical staff to resume duties immediately. The order, issued by Kumar Rahul, Principal Secretary (Health), warned that any violation would attract strict penal provisions under the Act.

Under ESMA, strikes in essential services are deemed illegal once the Act is enforced. Employees who defy the order can face imprisonment of up to six months, fines, or both. The government can also initiate departmental action, including suspension, termination, and enforcement of the “no work, no pay” rule. Those seen as instigating or supporting the strike may also face legal consequences.

With fewer than 500 senior nurses per institution, mostly those recruited before July 2020, remaining on duty, hospitals are struggling to maintain normal operations. The burden has shifted to senior staff and nursing students, raising serious concerns about patient care and safety.

Despite legal warnings and the threat of punitive action, the striking nurses remain firm in their stance, signaling a potential escalation of the conflict between healthcare workers and the state government.

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