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300 nursing staff stage protest at Jehangir Hospital for better working conditions, pay
The staffers alleged that they were being forced to work for 12 hours daily without any break and complained about low salary and holiday cuts
Amid the Covid-19 crisis at least 300 nursing staff of Jehangir Hospital staged a protest outside the premises against the hospital authorities, on Sunday.
The staffers alleged that they were being forced to work for 12 hours daily without any break and complained about low salary and holiday cuts.
The protest took place under the banner of United Nurses Association, Maharashtra State Chapter led by its North Maharashtra president Ajay Marathe.
The association has demanded higher wages and better working conditions.
Pratisha Kuberji, a nurse, said, “We have been demanding a hike in salary since last December, but there has been no response from the hospital authorities. Yesterday, they threatened to terminate our service and said that we will force you to resign.”
“Also, there are some of us who wanted to leave due to personal issues and had resigned, but their resignations have not been accepted,” she said.
“The nurses have been left in the lurch by the hospital management which is denying them the benefits of higher pay and better facilities as required by the law. During Covid crisis, the nurses are being forced to work for hours at a stretch without any breaks,” said Marathe.
“They have not been given Covid allowance and their current salary ranges between Rs 12,000- Rs 15,000. Each of the nurses is looking after as many as 15 patients,” said Marathe.
According to him, the nurses wanted to air their grievances but management has flatly refused.
“During the strike, the nurses have ensured that none of the emergency services of the hospital has been affected. They held the protest by adhering to all social distancing rules and directives of the health department,” he said.
When contacted, Jehangir Hospital public relations officer Aarti Irani said, “Due to the current pandemic, the hospital currently is in no position to give any salary increments. Hospital is regular in giving monthly salary on time without any salary reduction or deferment across the hospital. All the hospitals across the state and country are going through the same hardships and Pune being the current epicentre of the disease, the load on the hospital is very.”
“Currently, the hospital is managing around 120 Covid-19 positive patients, 70 other category patients and 120 home quarantine Covid-19 patients.
“Jehangir Hospital is committed to offering the best care in this fight of Covid-19 pandemic,” said the management of the hospital.
Zahir Shaikh, a male nurse, who hails from Karnataka and is working at the ICU for past one year said, “There are 22 patients in the ICU and the nursing staff is not enough which makes the task difficult. During the current ongoing Covid-19 crisis we are working tirelessly without any appreciation or motivation.”
