VHS strike called off after pay hike

CHENNAI: After an entire month of being on strike, medical workers of the Voluntary Health Services Hospital in Taramani called off their strike. This came in the wake of the management agreeing to a 30 per cent hike in basic pay and 25 per cent hike in allowances.A section of the nursing staff and employees had gone on strike from April 17.  At a meeting presided over by Joint Commissioner of Labour Somburajan, an “in-principle agreement” was reached between the striking employees and the management of VHS.These increases will significantly impact the cash flow of VHS, said MS Swaminathan, President, VHS.“As a service organisation dedicated to the weaker sections of society, VHS cannot pass on these costs to patients who have come to depend on the healthcare services provided,” he said.He continued, “A large number of doctors forming the elite of the medical profession render services at VHS voluntarily. Thus, the patients have access to some of the most experienced and talented doctors the city’s healthcare system offers. To support these eminent practitioners are vastly improved diagnostic facilities, including state-of-the-art laboratory and imaging services.”Medical workers said that though this pay hike was a far cry from the 130 per cent that they had asked for initially, they were satisfied “for the moment”. However, the call for the government to take over administration is one that they still hope for.