Govt docs to go on strike on June 25 in Punjab

Chandigarh: Government doctors, including veterinary, medical, dental and rural medical officers and medical teachers, on Monday formed a joint front and announced to go on strike on June 25.
The government doctors are protesting against pay commission’s recommendation on decrease and de-linking of non-practising allowance from basic pay.
The doctors are arguing that the recommendation of sixth pay commission will reduce their salaries drastically. Earlier, the doctors were planning to go on a strike on June 23, but after assurance of resolving the issue was given by health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, they postponed the strike to June 25.
Before launching their state-wide agitation, government doctors associations, including Punjab Civil Medical Services Association, Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association, PCMS Dental Association, Medical Teachers Association, Rural Medical Doctors Association, announced to form a common platform ‘Joint Government Doctors Coordination Committee, Punjab’.
Senior vice-president of the PCMS Association Dr Gagandeep Shergill said that the pay commissions were always constituted to make a realistic increase in the salaries of the employees. “It is perhaps for the first time when the pockets of doctors are being picked. This is the reward the government has given for the sacrifices made by the doctors during Covid wave,” he said.
Association of Rural Medical Officers president Dr Jagjeet Bajwa said the government should roll back the decision. He rued that instead of rewarding the doctors for exemplary service during the most troubled Covid times, the government has punished them by reducing their salary.