Chandigarh: PGI contract workers’ chain hunger strike enters Day 5

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of contract workers has claimed that arrears of around ₹90 crore are pending after the government of India released a notification of revised wages on October 9, 2018 and July 30, 2025

The chain hunger strike of contract workers at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) entered its 5th day on Tuesday. The workers, sitting on strike since November 14, are demanding payment of their pending arrears, maternity leave and bonuses.

The other demands of JAC include maternity leave benefits to female contract staff, bonus and reinstatement of four security guards who were removed in November, 2024 during protest activities. (HT Photo for representation)

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of contract workers has claimed that arrears of around ₹90 crore are pending after the government of India released a notification of revised wages on October 9, 2018 and July 30, 2025.

In the two notifications, the Union ministry of labour and employment in exercise of Section 32 of the Contract Labour Act, 1970, had ordered the PGIMER administration to ensure contract workers are paid equal to the lowest-paid regular workers, who are performing similar work and other equivalent facilities. The notification is applicable to the PGIMER contract workers falling in services of sanitation, security and catering.

The other demands of JAC include maternity leave benefits to female contract staff, bonus and reinstatement of four security guards who were removed in November, 2024 during protest activities. The JAC members said that two contract workers sit on hunger strike everyday from 9 am to 5 pm in the PGI residential complex.

So far, the hospital administration has released ₹55 crore arrears and has assured workers of payment of their revised wages.