North east doctors strike postponed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 February 2000, 18:26 GMT]
The one day token strike by the members of the combined north east branch of the Government Medical Officers Association scheduled for tomorrow has been put off to February 23.The combined north east branch of the GMOA decided to stage a one day token strike on Wednesday demanding that the medical officers who are permanent residents of the province also should be paid the risk incentive allowance.

Medical officers from other provinces serving in the north east are now paid the risk incentive allowance, according to the instruction by the Line Ministry, but the GMOA demands that all medical officers serving in the north east province should be paid this special allowance.

"All medical officers in north east face the same risk. Being a resident in the north east doesn't mean that they can escape the dangers of war," said an official of the GMOA, Trincomalee branch.

Now the officials of the parent association are having talks with the Line Ministry officials in Colombo in regard to this demand. The token one day strike has been put off on a request made by the GMOA parent officials to the north east branch, sources said.