GMOA Colombo National Hospital Branch Has Passed A Resolution On Launching An Island Wide Doctors Strike

The  Colombo National Hospital Branch of Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has today (15th) passed a resolution on launching an Island wide strike action of doctors from 21st of May (Monday) demanding increase of  DAT Allowance the GMOA sources have said.The resolution is due to produce before  GMOA membership when the General Committee meets on this coming Sunday (20th) the sources added.

The urgent meeting of GMOA general committee is scheduled to be summoned on this Sunday under the instructions of some Executive Committee members of the Union  as  main officers keep silent over the future trade union action to win DAT Allowance demand it has been learned.

The GMOA Colombo National Hospital Branch which met today became a battle ground as most of the participant Doctors accused and hooting over one of the main officers in GMOA who attended the meeting as a member of  GMOA National Hospital Branch.Most of  doctors out of around 400 participated the meeting blamed the said  officer over suspending of last Friday's  island wide strike action without consulting GMOA Membership. They also accused that the strike ended without getting any solution for their demand and on the other hand before Colombo District Court has issued an enjoining order preventing  strike.

Some doctors have criticized the whole Executive Committee of  GMOA by branding them as a flop team and urged them to step down immediately if they cannot function according to the likes of their membership.

Dental Doctors Too In The War Path

The Government Dental Surgeons Association has said  today (14th) that they will resort to a continuous Island Wide Strike Action withing next few days if the government has failed to implement a newly  revised salary and allowance structure for doctors with immediate effect.

The Association along with other fellow Doctors Unions in the country has urged  authorities in the past the need to revised doctors salary and allowance structure ,but up to now no response has received in this regard the Dental Surgeons Association secretary Dr.Ananda Ratnayake has said.

GMOA General Assembly Have Decided To Launch An Island Wide Continuous Strike

The General Assembly of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) had yesterday (13th)decided to resort a continuous Island Wide Strike action  to win their DAT (Disturbance,Availability and Transport )Allownce demand GMOA Sources have revealed.This General Assembly meeting was held with the participation of GMOA branch unions to get their suggestions on launching a future course of  action.

However when speaking to media today (14th) the President of GMOA Dr.Anuruddha Padeniya has said that a future course of  trade union action will be decided  after solving the enjoining order issue.GMOA has  still not received the above court order he stressed.The enjoining order was issued on  last Friday by Colombo District Court against    GMOA  by  preventing the union of  resorting any  trade union action till 25th of May.

Speaking at the Press Briefing held today (14th)the GMOA President has said that their  union is currently working towards removing the enjoining order against GMOA .He refrained from mentioning the trade union action decision taken by General Assembly meeting yesterday but stated that a future course of action will be taken after removing the enjoining order.

Galle Road To Be Closed For Victory Day Rehearsals

The road from Galle Face Roundabout to Old Parliament Building will be closed from time to time between 6.30 a.m to 4.30 p.m from tomorrow (14th) up to 18th of May (Friday) due to victory parade rehearsals the Police  have announced today(13th).Police requested the motorists to  use   alternative routes in view of these rehearsals.


The victory day parade marking the third anniversary of defeating terrorist group LTTE is to be held at  Galle Face Green on 19th of May(Saturday) under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksha.Sri Lankan Army had defeated the LTTE on 16th of May 2009 marking the end of civil war in Northern Sri Lanka which spanned three decades.The Government had declared victory over LTTE on 16th of May in 2009  whilst the LTTE admitted their defeat to Sri Lankan Army on 17th of May that year.

GMOA To Summon A General Committee Meeting Today (13th)

The Government Medical Officers  Association (GMOA) is to summon an urgent General Committee meeting at noon today(13th) to get views from their membership on the future course of action can be taken to win DAT (Disturbance,Availability and Transport Allowance) demand.

This meeting is summoned after GMOA Executive Committee led Island Wide Strike held last Friday became a total failure due to majority of Doctors were refrained from participating in the strike.Only 20% of doctors were reported as participated the strike .

GMOA Suspended Their TU Action-An Enjoining Order Issued Against The Strike

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has announced this evening that the Island Wide Strike action launched by them this morning has been suspended with effect from around 3.30 p.m following the discussions held between GMOA Members and Health Ministry officials on DAT Allowance (Disturbance,Availability and Transport Allowance).However GMOA exco members have refused to comment on the said discussions and  results .

Meanwhile Colombo District Court has been issued an enjoining order this noon by preventing GMOA for resorting any trade union action till 25th of May.

Majority Of Government Doctors Said "No" To GMOA'S Strike Action

Although the  Government Medical Officers Union (GMOA) has announced an Island Wide Strike from this morning  the majority of Government Doctors were reported as staying away from the strike and continue their normal work as usual.According to break away faction of GMOA's General Committee around 80 percent of GMOA member Doctors didn't follow the strike action today whilst only 20 percent have joined the strike,

Doctors in most of the major government hospitals were refrain from strike action today and those hospitals where doctors have participated the strike have seen with an empty OPD's and Clinics  the hospital sources said.GMOA had yesterday announced that  the island wide strike to be launch from 8 a.m this morning to demand an increasing of Disturbance,Availability and Transport Allowance (DAT) of Government Hospital Doctors  to Rs.29,000 from Rs.15,000.

During the special meeting summoned by GMOA at Colombo National Hospital  this morning the top Exco Members have been informed the fellow  members to end the strike by 4 p.m in the evening whether the demand was met or unmet by the authorities.

It has been learnt  that the majority of doctors have refused to join today's  strike due to the inefficiency of  GMOA 's executive committee when handling  their matters.

Meanwhile GMOA executive Committee has said that today's strike was very successful  .