Asha workers protest for better wages

Nagpur: Asha workers across the district on Monday held a silent protest to press for their demand of a proper salary rather than a ‘monthly compensation’.
While their work in the fight against Covid-19 continued, various groups of Asha workers held protests by displaying banners or wearing black ribbons. The Asha Gat-Pravastak Karmachari Union said this protest was to bring to the government’s attention their dire financial condition.
Rajendra Sathe, president of the union, said the government can easily resolve the issue. “All Asha workers must be paid according to the state government’s pays scale, whatever is the minimum one, let’s start at that. Also, they must be paid Rs 300per day for Corona-related work. This was something which was promised last year but never implemented,” said Sathe.
Priti Meshram, general secretary of the union, said, “From time to time, we have been raising this issue but it seems the government is not interested. We are at the forefront in the fight against Covid-19 with thousands of my colleagues risking their health and working 10 hours minimum each day. And our monthly compensation is less than Rs10,000 while nurses and doctors earn many times that.”
She added that Asha workers have been involved with vaccination drive and monitoring health of home-quarantined patients. “We are going to their houses and checking up on health parameters. It’s such a risky thing because we are coming in close proximity of positive patients,” she said.
The union has demanded a life insurance for every Asha worker. Sathe said, “Minimum cover of Rs10 lakh must be provided to each worker. Also, a pension scheme of Rs5,000 per month must be implemented with retrospective effect, plus a lump sum of Rs5 lakh to everyone after retirement.”
He warned that their agitation will go the ‘next level’ if government does not fulfil their demands. “We have conducted an online meeting with many of the union members and soon a strong agitation will be launched,” said Sathe.