Paramedics boycott work to protest nonpayment of salaries
They will resume duties from Wednesday on the administration’s assurance that dues will be cleared soon
Paramedics stage a sit-in at the OPD in Services Hospital. PHOTO/EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Paramedics at Services Hospital on Tuesday boycotted work at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) in protest against nonpayment of salaries.
They staged a demonstration at the hospital’s entrance where they chanted slogans against the hospital administration for not paying them for four months.
Meanwhile, a large number of patients were seen leaving the OPD unattended. Altercations between some patients and paramedics were also reported over the latter’s refusal to attend to them.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Paramedical Staff Association chairman Yousuf Billa said they would resume work at the OPD on Wednesday (today). “The administration has assured us that our dues would be cleared in three to four days. We’ll resume the boycott if they fails to honour their word,” he said.
Billa said work had been stopped only at the OPD. He said emergency wards were functioning as usual. “We realise that the people visiting the facility are suffering from various diseases and need immediate relief. We’re trying our best to not cause any inconvenience to them,” he said.
“We’ve been left with no option but to protest for our rights,” he said.
Billa said the administration had not paid at least 60 paramedics (in grades 1 to 4) for four months.
Paramedical Staff Association Lahore chapter president Chaudhry Abdul Majeed said that the chief minister had already issued directives to the hospital administration to solve the matter at the earliest. However, he said, the administration was delaying it unnecessarily. “The paramedics would commit mass suicides if the hospital does not clear their salaries,” he said.
Muhammad Fayyaz, a cook at the hospital’s nursing hostel, said his monthly salary was Rs10,140 only. “My three children have been unable to go to school for four months because I have no money to pay their tuition fee,” he said.
The protesters also complained about shortage of paramedical staff. They said the hospital needed to hire more people to ensure that the patients were treated well.
Services Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Umer Farooq Baloch said the salaries would be paid in three to four days. He said the protesting employees were daily-wagers. In its next meeting on January 13, the hospital’s board of directors would decide whether or not services of the employees would be retained, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2016.
Paramedics at Services Hospital on Tuesday boycotted work at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) in protest against nonpayment of salaries.
They staged a demonstration at the hospital’s entrance where they chanted slogans against the hospital administration for not paying them for four months.
Meanwhile, a large number of patients were seen leaving the OPD unattended. Altercations between some patients and paramedics were also reported over the latter’s refusal to attend to them.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Paramedical Staff Association chairman Yousuf Billa said they would resume work at the OPD on Wednesday (today). “The administration has assured us that our dues would be cleared in three to four days. We’ll resume the boycott if they fails to honour their word,” he said.
Billa said work had been stopped only at the OPD. He said emergency wards were functioning as usual. “We realise that the people visiting the facility are suffering from various diseases and need immediate relief. We’re trying our best to not cause any inconvenience to them,” he said.
“We’ve been left with no option but to protest for our rights,” he said.
Billa said the administration had not paid at least 60 paramedics (in grades 1 to 4) for four months.
Paramedical Staff Association Lahore chapter president Chaudhry Abdul Majeed said that the chief minister had already issued directives to the hospital administration to solve the matter at the earliest. However, he said, the administration was delaying it unnecessarily. “The paramedics would commit mass suicides if the hospital does not clear their salaries,” he said.
Muhammad Fayyaz, a cook at the hospital’s nursing hostel, said his monthly salary was Rs10,140 only. “My three children have been unable to go to school for four months because I have no money to pay their tuition fee,” he said.
The protesters also complained about shortage of paramedical staff. They said the hospital needed to hire more people to ensure that the patients were treated well.
Services Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Umer Farooq Baloch said the salaries would be paid in three to four days. He said the protesting employees were daily-wagers. In its next meeting on January 13, the hospital’s board of directors would decide whether or not services of the employees would be retained, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2016.