Nurses at North MCD hospital threaten indefinite strike from January 16 over unpaid salaries

NEW DELHI:  The nurses of the Kasturba Hospital, largest maternity facility being run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, on Thursday threatened to go on strike from Saturday if their due salaries are not released by Friday.

In a letter to the medical superintendent (MS) of the hospital, the nurses union said that as they had not been paid for three months, they would go for an indefinite strike from January 16.

“With heavy heart, we are going to inform you that if three months salary is not disbursed till January 15, then we will go for an indefinite strike with effect from January 16. Notice for the indefinite strike is already given by confederation of MCD employees union on December 21, 2020, to higher authorities,” said the letter jointly signed office bearers of the association including its president BL Sharma. 

However, an official of the corporation said that as the Delhi government had released Rs 938 crore to Municipal Corporations on Thursday; hopefully municipal employees would get their dues. The nurse and paramedics of Kasturba hospital observed strikes on two occasions last year in July and October over similar issues.  “The whole responsibility will be of the MCD administration for this inconvenience,” also said the notice to the MS.