National Health Mission staff call off strike after govt announces 18% pay hike

The decision was taken after a meeting held on Tuesday night

National Health Mission (NHM) employees on Wednesday called off their strike after the Punjab health department announced an 18% hike in salaries of all 13,500 employees to appreciate their work in tackling the Covid-19 crisis.

13,500 employees will benefit from the pay hike. (Representative Image)

The employees were scheduled to start their strike from Wednesday morning. But on Tuesday night, state health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu held a meeting with the Punjab wing of the National Health Mission Employees Union, which lasted till 9.30 pm, and announced a hike in their salaries.

He also announced the process of regularizing their jobs will be initiated once the Covid- 19 crisis is over. There are 13, 500 NHM employees, including doctors, staff nurses and midwifes, working in the state.

The health minister shared the announcement on Facebook. He posted, “Meeting was held with union of NHM officials/employees, who are fighting a war with Corona virus, in which announcement was made to give 18% increment. After the Corona war, the process of regularisation of their jobs will also be initiated.”

The NHM (National Health Mission) employees union welcomed the announcement.

Amarjeet Singh, state president of the union, said, “We had decided to go on strike from Wednesday to demand a pay hike. We had also worn black ribbons to work on Monday and Tuesday as a mark of our protest. However, the health minister held a meeting on Tuesday night and announced a hike in our salaries. We are now waiting for an official letter in this regard.”