Contract workers at Erode GH begin indefinite strike

Contract workers at Erode's District Headquarters Hospital strike for minimum wages & 10 other demands.

Demanding minimum wages as fixed by the district administration and urging the government to fulfil their 10 other demands, a section of contract workers at the District Headquarters Hospital began an indefinite strike at Erode on Friday, December 15, 2023.

As many as 132 workers were engaged for security and for house keeping by a private management service company on contract basis at the hospital from May 1, 2012. Workers said the district administration has fixed the daily minimum wage of ₹724 for 2023-24 whereas they were given a daily wage of ₹350. “After we strike work, meetings were held in which the company agreed to pay minimum wage,” they said.

Workers also wanted the company to implement the agreement made on February 8, 2023, that assures to reinstate 19 workers who were not provided works for spearheading the strike and provide wage for the strike period.

Their other demands include weekly holiday and holidays on festival days as per law, recruitment of additional workers, provision of a month’s wage as bonus, coverage under ESI, provision of wage slip, creation of rest rooms with amenities for workers and providing details of PF contributions. They were also against sending workers for data entry works in government hospitals at Perundurai and Anthiyur.