GMOA seeks wider gap in salary ratio

The Government Medical Officers’ Association has warned of trade union action if the Government fails to increase their salaries in proportion to the proposed salary increase of other employees in the state health sector.

GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said that at present the salary compression ratio between a minor employee and a professional or a ministry secretary is 1:3.8. The gap in this ratio was to be increased to 1:4.25 in terms of a proposal made by the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration in its last Budget. But this gap will be narrowed to 1:2.5 if Rs. 10,000 was added to the salaries of state sector employees in accordance with the interim budget of the present regime.

He said the Government must clearly say whether the proposed increase would be added to the salary or paid as an allowance.

Dr. Herath said the National Wages Policy circular of 2006 should be followed as it maintained a healthy ratio in the salaries of minor employees and professionals. He said such a ratio was necessary to prevent a brain drain.

“India noticed a huge brain drain and controlled it by expanding the salary ratio to 1:12. Our country has already lost a considerable number of experts,” he said.A circular (DMS/Policy/Budget 2015) issued by former Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundara on December 18 last year states that the Disturbance Availability Transport (DAT) allowance for doctors will be increased from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 40,000 from January 1, 2015.

The GMOA Secretary said they met Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and requested a meeting with Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

“We have written to the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, and the Secretary to the President, Ministers of Health and Finance, Secretaries of these Ministries and the Salaries and Cadre Commission. If we do not get a positive response, the GMOA will urge doctors to resort to trade union action,” he said.