Mumbai: Yet to get promised pay hike\, health workers’ union warns of protest

Mumbai: Yet to get promised pay hike, health workers’ union warns of protest

There are about 4,000 women health workers who work at the ground level and help implement schemes by the civic body as well as the state and central governments, and also aid awareness campaigns at the grassroots.

| Mumbai | Published: February 11, 2020 1:52:00 am
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai health workers protest, health workers union, mumbai news, maharashtra news, indian express news According to the union, the women health workers play crucial roles in providing guidance, collecting information and referral services to all citizens with respect to all health issues such as polio, leprosy, TB, pregnancy issues and childcare.

Over 4,000 community health workers (CHW) are yet to get the increased remuneration promised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), due to which their union has threatened a protest on International Women’s Day if the workers don’t receive the revised pay.

There are about 4,000 women health workers who work at the ground level and help implement schemes by the civic body as well as the state and central governments, and also aid awareness campaigns at the grassroots. In December, the BMC had agreed to increase the basic remuneration of these workers from Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,000.

According to the union, the women health workers play crucial roles in providing guidance, collecting information and referral services to all citizens with respect to all health issues such as polio, leprosy, TB, pregnancy issues and childcare. They are also involved in exercises such as census, animal survey and election duty.

“Last year, after all the party group leaders assured that our demands will be met, we withdrew our strike. This time, we were hopeful that our workers will get justice and their dues. But the issue remains pending, and if workers don’t get the revised remuneration, then on International Women’s Day there will be a protest,” Prakash Devdas, president of the Mahapalika Arogya Seva Karmchari Sangathana, told The Indian Express.

He added, “The delay is happening due to red tape in the administration. In December, we were informed that for this year, workers will get Rs 9,000 and for the next two years, it will be revised to Rs 10,000.

The issue of delay was also raised by Shiv Sena group leader Vishakha Raut last week in a BMC standing committee meeting. “There was a decision by the administration, but so far, no progress has been made. The BMC spends crores on consultants. But those who are actually working at the ground level do not get their dues. Are we waiting for them to go on another strike ?” said Raut.

Committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav directed the civic administration to release the revised pay immediately.

“We have made a proposal to revise the pay of health workers. Soon it will be tabled in the standing committee for final approval,” a senior BMC official said.