News
Govt. policies on transfers, allowances trigger multiple protests
View(s):A string of protests and strikes over a range of issues including salaries, promotions and other facilities have been ongoing since last week.
Some of the protests and strikes have been launched as preparations are underway to present the budget on November 7.
Some of the protests have been related to transfer policies of the government.
The Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM) claims that the government has decided to implement annual transfers over which they have concerns.
Health Union protest. Pic by Akila Jayawardena
JCPSM secretary Chanaka Dharmawickrama says they want an immediate discussion with the respective authorities to address their concerns.
This process of annual transfers was initiated in 2023. Within five years this process has taken place in the western province. Those who had served for more than 10 years have been given transfers. The procedure has been carried out irregularly this year. This only occurred in the Western Province; it did not occur in any other provinces, he said.
There are 31 hospitals in the province and in some of them there are only one or two staff members working ineach of the units.
“We mostly offer a 24-hour service. It is an on-call service; in fact, after a 16-hour shift everyone needs a break. Due to staffing shortages, sometimes we had to work 32-hour shifts,” he said.
“If we were given quarters facilities we could have been more efficient but with these transfers in place how can a person from Awissawella reach a hospital in Homagma on time” he asked. “We are dealing with patients,” he said.
“Our service is not like clerical services,” he added.
He said appeals have not been considered properly in spite of five committees being appointed to consider the transfer appeals.
“The previous government had discussions. We are demanding discussions to clarify matters. We will go for trade union action only if those fail”.
Meanwhile non-academic staff members across several state universities also launched a strikeover various demands.
University Trade Union Joint Committee (UTUJC) Co-Chairman Mangala Dabare said they have four main concerns.
The monthly compensatory allowance was revised in 2024 and 2025, and has now been reduced by 9%. “We are requesting a current rate of 45% of the basic salary,” he said.
He said since 2014 if 10%of students were recruited they received a 20% allowance which has also been cut.
He said the emergency loan amount was recently increased to 4 lakhs, yet it was never given. However, the Ministry claims that a recent circular has answered questions about the eligibility of university funding.
Mr. Dabare said they were taking up these issues on Monday and if viable solutions were not received the protest will escalate into a large-scale strike.
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