Nov 10, Colombo: State sector nurses in Sri Lanka will hold an island wide token strike on the 15th due to the failure of the authorities to address their demands.

The Government Nurses Officer's Association (GNOA) says that the nurses' demands have not yet been met by the health authorities.

The GNOA in a statement has noted that the strike action was decided as the Health Ministry did not meet their demands.

The nurses' union demands the government to cancel the Gazette issued to give powers to Provincial Councils to recruit nurses, implement a five-day work week, take measures to increase overtime and other allowances, provide grade promotions for the year 2011/2012 and recruit nursing graduates to the service after one and a half years of their degree completion.

Head of the GNOA Saman Ratnapriya has said that discussions with Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena and the Health Ministry Secretary have not brought a solution to their demands.

He has added that the authorities have not even implemented the agreements reached with the nurses.