PGI staff on mass leave today

The association, which sent a notice to the PGI director K K Talwar informing him about the strike, said that despite repeated pleas for the implementation of the pay panel recommendations, the hospital administration has not done anything. 8220;We do not want the emergency services and ICU functioning to be disrupted. That is why 15 technicians will have been asked not to join the mass leave,8221; said Singh. He added that the general body meeting of the association will be held on Monday to decide whether to continue with the mass leave for not.

Negotiations between the PGI authorities and the employees continued till late in the evening but the association was adamant on its decision to go on a strike.

Rajvinder Singh said: 8220;We did not receive any formal request from the PGI authorities for talks. Our heads of departments requested us to meet the director. He has given us a verbal assurance but no written commitment of meeting our demands.8221;

Patients have increasingly become a soft target of the employees union at PGI, which strike work completely as a pressure tactic.

Just last month, the resident doctors had proceeded on a two-day strike after a faculty member entered an argument with a senior resident.

PGI spokesperson Manjunbsp;Wadwalkar said so far they had not received any communication from the association. 8220;If thenbsp;technicians proceed on strike, the 8216;no work no pay8217; rule will be applicable,8221; she added.

She further said that the hospital is making alternate arrangements so that all thenbsp;surgeries can be conducted on time. nbsp;