Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 6: Health employees suspended their strike today and returned to routine work across Jammu and Kashmir public hospitals after assurance from Health Minister Sakeena Itoo to address their demands shortly.
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The announcement regarding the suspension of the strike was made by Joint Action Committee (JAC) members, including chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Employees Federation (JKMEF), Sushil Sudan and president Jaswinder Singh, at a press conference held today following their meeting with the Minister, where key issues raised by the agitating employees were discussed.
The dialogue, described as constructive, marked a turning point in the ongoing agitation that had disrupted healthcare services in hospitals and medical colleges across the Union Territory.
During the meeting, the Minister acknowledged the issue of deduction of two-and-a-half days’ salary for duties performed on Sundays, gazetted holidays, and under the 24×7 roster system, terming such deductions as unjustified and assuring the delegation that no such cuts would be made in future.
She further informed that a formal Government order addressing the matter would be issued shortly. Responding positively to the assurances, the JAC announced suspension of the strike for a period of three weeks, allowing time for the government to act on its commitments.
With employees returning to work, normal functioning of healthcare services has resumed, bringing relief to patients who had been facing inconvenience due to the disruption.
Representatives of various employee bodies, including the JKMEF and Government Medical College Jammu, were present in the meeting.
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