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Nurses go one up on paramedics
The recommendations put forward by the committee appointed to look into the demands of the nurses union have sparked off a battle between the paramedical staff and nurses with the former arguing that new salary proposals are unfair by them.

Hospitals were crippled bringing all essential services including x-rays, laboratory services and issue of drugs to a virtual standstill when paramedical staff went on an indefinite strike from Thursday noon.

Under the new recommendations the nurses' salaries carry increases ranging from Rs. 130 to Rs. 540. A grade II B nurse would get Rs. 6460 per month as against Rs. 6310 now; grade IIA would be Rs. 7980 up from Rs. 7740; grade I would be Rs. 8750 as against Rs. 8500 now and Special grade would be revised to Rs. 11,470 from Rs. 10,930.

The nurses and paramedical officers salaries were on par after the Kodagoda Salaries Commission proposals were implemented. The nurses, however, wanted the proposals made in the B.C. Perera Salaries Commission implemented where they received higher salaries than paramedics.

The Government appointed a special committee to look into the issue as the nurses staged trade union action demanding the rectification of salary anomalies in the proposals of the Kodagoda Commission. Although now the nurses' demands are met with new recommendations proposed to increase their salaries, the paramedical staff are on strike demanding a similar hike.

Patients in hospitals are faced with tremendous difficulties to get any services done. State hospitals rely on private hospitals to carry out tests for which the Government bears the bill. Some patients who can afford do the tests in private medical centres while seeking treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

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