Nurses recruited by board threaten to go on strike
Long-pending:The nurses also pointed out that the MRB had not been following the rule of appointment uniformly for other healthcare personnel.
Complain of appointment on contract basis, posting in far-off places
Nurses appointed through the Medical Recruitment Board have threatened to go on strike if they are not invited for talks, claiming that several representations to various government officials were not considered, they said.
Around 11,000 nurses were recruited by the MRB after a competitive test in 2015 on contract for a salary of Rs. 7,700. According to the association 90% of the nurses have been posted in locations hundreds of kilometers away from their residence.
“I live in Villupuram,but I have been posted in Nagecoil. Nurses from Kanniyamari have been posted in Tiruvannamalai. Not only has our salary not been revised, we have not heard about being included in the 7th Pay Commission,” said N. Arasumani, vice-president of the MRB Nurses Welfare Association.
“For the past two years no transfer counselling has been conducted though there are vacancies. It is tougher for nurses appointed to Primary Health Centres as there are no staff quarters and much of our salary goes in paying rents. Our children’s education is also affected,” Mr. Arasumani said.
‘Order violated’
The nurses point out that though the MRB had only advertised for 7,243 posts, it filled vacancies that existed then. “The government has violated its Order no. 191 released in 1962 that all those appointed through competitive exams should be made regular appointments,” he added.
The nurses also pointed out that the MRB had not been following the rule of appointment uniformly for all other healthcare personnel. It has used qualification and degree certificates for appointment as regular staff, Mr. Arasumani said.
Despite promising to call them for talks the health officials had not done so.
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