IMA might shelve its union status proposal

Rita Dutta - Mumbai

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) might shelve the proposal of getting registered as a union, following opposition from certain sections of its members, who feel that the demerits of unionisation outweigh the merits.

Inspired by the British Medical Association’s union status, IMA’s proposal of getting registered as a union was mooted more than a year and a half ago. It was said that unionisation would help in making the government listen to issues in medical profession and aid in calling strikes, if necessary. However, the proposal has been fraught with opposition from the initial stages.

According to Dr Sanjiv Malik, honorary secretary general, IMA, New Delhi, “The issue has become debatable after a section of our members had opposed the proposal, saying that calling strikes is not what we want to encourage.”

Concurs Dr Ketan Parikh, immediate past president, Association of Medical Consultants, “Unionisation will damage the sanctity associated with the profession and will lead to bulldozing of views.” He added that “we want to justify our views and not bulldoze.”

Experts point out that unionisation would be a futile initiative in the Indian context, as union is formed to fight against a certain system. In India, where 70 per cent of doctors are “freelancers”, forming a union does not serve any purpose, avers Dr Parikh.

To which Dr Malik adds, “It’s helpful for the doctors of Britain who come under National Health Services (NHS) to form a union against the NHS to take up issues. What purpose would it serve for Indian doctors who does not come under any such uniform umbrella?”

However, Asit Naik, senior member, IMA-Valsad, feels that unionisation would help in taking up issues with the government in a more formal manner. “So many proposals of ours fell into the deaf ears of the government as were not an union. The parliamentarians, interested in vote-bank politics, would pay heed to us, once we have the union tag.”

The dispute would be laid to rest as the final decision of unionisation would be taken at the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of IMA to be held in May, this year in New Delhi. The decision would then be ratified by the Central Council of IMA in December, this year.
— rita@expresshealthcaremgmt.com