Protest here, protest there, protests everywhere

Nurses, school teachers, principals, university lecturers took to streets today (28) over a number of issues ranging from salary anomalies, promotions to the controversial Kotelawala Defence University Bill.

Nurses from about 100 hospitals took part in a lunch-hour protest demanding the government to address key nine issues including the failure to issue the circular with regard to promotion of nursing officers.

President of the Government Nursing Officers’ Association Saman Ratnapriya told Timesonline that nurses protested during their lunch break, holding placards in front of their respective hospitals.

Protests were seen in front of Kalubowila Teaching Hospital, Nagoda General Hospital, Avissawella Base Hospital, Kandy General Hospital, Peradeniya, Kegalle , Ratnapura Teaching Hospitals, Matara General Hospital, Balangoda Base Hospital, Jaffna Teaching Hospital and Vavuniya District Hospital with large numbers of nurses taking part in the protests.

Meanwhile, university lecturers stayed away from online teaching today and held silent protests in front of university premises against the proposed Kotelawala Defence University bill which is due to be presented to parliament next week.

(Pix by M A Pushpakumara)

Unions representing teachers and principals too held protests in a number of areas, demanding the government to address salary anomalies, recognise the teaching service and to abolish the KNDU Bill. The online strike by government school teachers reached its 17th consecutive day.

(Pix by Nisal Baduge)