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Sterner
action if no settlement reached soon, warn MLTs
MLTs have been on a sick note campaign on Wednesday and Thursday this week, temporarily abandoning their work to rule campaign which saw them stopping work at 4 pm, effectively crippling a service that is needed to function 24 hours a day. With the breakdown of discussions held with the Health Ministry, the work to rule campaign began once again this Friday. The campaign began as a protest against a circular sent out on the 18th of last month, which revised the method of On Call Allowance payments, from piece meal to overtime. The Professions Supplementary to Medicine feel the circular should be more clearer in stating the method of payment for work outside their normal duty hours. Countering allegations that MLTs hold blood samples longer than necessary to enhance their allowances, they point out that though a cadre of 3000 was required, at present only 950 MLT's were employed island wide – as such they state that they were compelled to work longer hours by necessity than by choice. "The government pays just 22.50 for us per test and if the same test is done through the private sector it costs them 100/- and yet they keep insisting that it is cheaper to get it done through the private sector", the SLAMLT General Secretary said. Among their other complaints are the delays in effecting transfers which are pending for the past 4 years (which the MLTs said was because no new batch of technicians have been trained for the past two and a half years) and also the shift system. They said their requests for professional training have fallen on deaf ears – a six-month training course has been substituted in the interim until a three-year diploma/degree equivalent to British qualifications are put in place. In response to reports that blood samples are being discarded due to the work-to-rule campaign by the technicians, the Director of the Blood Bank denied such action. "All our staff members are geared to handle any emergency. Yet, it is difficult since other staff members have to be called into help out. However, I don't accept the allegation that samples are being destroyed due to this", Dr. Mrs. R.M. Bindusara said. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Janaraja Health Services Union, in a media release condemned and protested against the moves taken by the Sabaragamuwa provincial health ministry to hire attendants and labourers from the private sector, regarding which the SLJHSU say it has conclusive proof. |
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