Telangana contract medical staff protest for fair wages

Hyderabad: Approximately 2,000 contract workers, led by the Telangana Medical Contract Employees and Workers Union (AITUC), staged a massive protest in front of the Director of Medical Education office in Koti on Wednesday, demanding fair wages as per Government Order 60.

“We urge the government to prevent labour exploitation and focus on contract workers in hospitals. Salaries to contract sanitation, patient care, and security workers in government hospitals are not being paid in full. About 20,000 contract workers in the state were supposed to be given salaries of Rs 13,500 after deducting Provident Fund and ESI. The GO no. 60, released in 2022, which directs this provision, was never implemented and another circular was released the same year that showed workers’ salaries as Rs 12,093. However, even that is not being paid to most of us. We are only getting Rs 10,000 or 11,000,” said M. Narsimha, state general secretary, AITUC.

The workers also highlighted that they are not allowed to apply for leaves as per the Contract Labour Act, which entitles them to four festive holidays, four national holidays, and 16 earned holidays. Additionally, they are being overburdened at Osmania and Niloufer hospitals due to insufficient staffing. They informed the DME that the local DCHSs, in collusion with contractors in TVVP hospitals, are terrorising the workers.