More 12000 Doctors from the Maharashtra State Gazetted Medical Officers Organisation (MAGMO) were on strike for the last three days. They termed their agitation a “do-or-die battle”, more than 12,000 doctors ended their week-long strike on Monday.
In a game of who-will-blink-first, the state government emerged a clear winner, as the doctors, striking work since July 1, fell in line despite the government rejecting their main demanding of revising temporary doctors’ salaries. They called of their strike a day after govt decided on walk-in interviews to replace striking doctors
During their meeting with the doctors, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and state Health Minister Suresh Shetty insisted that the demand to revise salaries of about 1,400 temporary doctors according to the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations will not be considered, but assured to look into other demands such as seniority-based promotions and fixed working hours. On Sunday, the state had terminated the first batch of 265 contract doctors on strike, but agreed to reinstate them after the strike had been called off, principal secretary Sujata Saunik said.
The state had earlier invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services and Maintenance Act and threatened to sack the doctors if they did not immediately report to duty, to which the doctors dared the government to go ahead with the action.
The government insisted on Monday that the walk-in interviews will still go ahead as scheduled, even as the MAGMO president, Rajesh Gaikwad, insisted that the strike had been called off following “assurances” from the chief minister. “We apologise to the people for the hardships caused for the last six days,” Gaikwad said, assuring that the medical officers would work two hours extra daily for the next few days.
Health Minister Shetty said that the state had no option but to give the doctors a bitter pill. “We had to call for walk-in interviews as patients were suffering. However, I’m happy that the doctors realised the gravity of the situation and called off the agitation. The doctors on contract had signed affidavits in 2009 that they will not be entitled to the benefits given to the permanent doctors. It was not possible legally, and we managed to convince them,” he said.
