August 24, Colombo (LNW): The Public Health Inspectors’ Union has launched a nationwide trade union action, bringing administrative data submissions and system updates to a halt in protest over the transfer of a Public Health Inspector attached to the health office at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.
The action began at 8.00am today, with the union saying it was compelled to take the step after raising concerns over what it described as irregular practices at the airport health office without receiving a satisfactory response from the Ministry of Health.
As part of the protest, Public Health Inspectors and Administrative PHIs across the country will suspend the submission of reports and other administrative information. The union has warned that information withheld during the trade union action will not subsequently be entered into official systems retrospectively.
At the centre of the dispute is the transfer of PHI B.H. Migasdeniya from the Katunayake airport health office. The union is demanding that the transfer be revoked and that an impartial investigation be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the matter.
The union has also raised objections to what it says are efforts to reduce the authorised cadre of Public Health Inspectors at both the Colombo Port Health Office and the Katunayake Airport Health Office.
Union representatives said they were not opposed to an investigation and would cooperate fully with any process that is conducted fairly and transparently. They also indicated that they remain available to enter into discussions with health authorities in an effort to resolve the dispute.
The nationwide action could affect the flow of routine administrative information within the public health system if the disagreement remains unresolved, increasing pressure on the authorities to address the union’s concerns.