With support from employees’ and farmers’ unions, Punjab nurses’ strike gains momentum despite ESMA warning

The Government invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act on March 25, a day before the strike call, declaring the protest illegal. Despite this, UNAP members proceeded with the agitation. A meeting held on March 27 between UNAP representatives and officials of the Directorate of Research and Medical Education remained inconclusive.

On March 29, Dr Avnish Kumar, Director of Medical Education and Research, issued a final warning to the striking nurses, reiterating that the protest violated ESMA provisions and directing them to resume duties immediately. His letter cautioned that failure to comply would invite strict action. It also made the Government’s position clear on the core demand, stating that the issue could not be resolved at present.
“The demand regarding grade pay Rs 4,600 (corresponding to higher pay level) is sub-judice before the court and the matter is under judicial consideration and cannot be decided or implemented at administrative level at this stage,” the letter stated.

However, the warning appears to have galvanised wider support for the nurses.

“This final warning letter was issued to our president Ramanjit Singh Gill, but the strike is going strong…though we are aware of the threats under ESMA. However, we have got extensive support from various associations, which shows that the employees’ unions are supporting our genuine demand,” said a UNAP representative.

A day after the warning, on March 30, the Staff Nurses Association of Punjab, representing nurses deputed across government hospitals of Punjab, formally backed the agitation. In a letter to the principal secretary (health), the association stated, “If any action is taken against the striking employees under ESMA, we will stand tall in their support. ESMA shouldn’t be imposed on them as their demands are genuine.”

Support has also come from the Baba Farid Nursing Association and the Coordination Committee of Paramedical Health Employees, Punjab, both of which have written to the state authorities urging acceptance of the nurses’ demands.

At the national level, the All India Government Nurses Federation has taken up the matter with Union Health Minister J P Nadda. In a communication dated March 29, the federation sought his intervention, highlighting the anomaly in pay scales for the nursing cadre in Punjab and supporting the restoration of the Rs 4,600 grade pay.

The agitation has also drawn solidarity from non-health sectors. The 4161 Master Cadre Teacher Union and the 2392 Teacher Union Punjab have extended support, while the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha also joined in. The farmer organisation’s coordinator, Sarwan Singh Pandher, met striking nurses at Government Medical College, Amritsar, on Monday.

A basic pay gap of Rs 15,700

The financial disparity remains at the heart of the agitation. Under Rs 4,600 grade pay, the starting basic salary is Rs 44,900, whereas under the Rs 2,800 grade pay, it is Rs 29,200.

Meanwhile, UNAP office-bearers responded to the Government’s warning on Tuesday stating that they remain open to dialogue. They pointed out that a similar strike planned in September last year had been deferred after the Government sought six months to address their demands, which, they allege, remain unresolved. They added that four reminders regarding the strike were sent to authorities in February and March.

With both sides holding firm — the Government citing legal constraints and the nurses banking on growing cross-sector support — the standoff shows no immediate signs of resolution.

“Even though the matter is under judicial consideration, it is still requested that discussions be initiated at the administrative level to find a resolution to this issue, which would be in the larger interest of healthcare services,” said UNAP president Ramanjit Singh Gill in his reply to Avnish Kumar’s final warning letter.