Sitting on a chain hunger strike from the past 41 days, contractual workers at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) have threatened a 24 hour strike on December 30 against the hospital administration in case their long-pending demands are not met.
The workers, sitting on strike since November 14, are demanding payment of their pending arrears, maternity leave, bonuses for year 2023-24, 2024-25 and reinstatement of four security guards fired during earlier protest.
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.
JAC members claimed that PGI administration has assured to pay their pending arrears by January 31, 2026. However, there was no communication received by the authorities regarding their other demands.
{{/usCountry}}JAC members claimed that PGI administration has assured to pay their pending arrears by January 31, 2026. However, there was no communication received by the authorities regarding their other demands.
{{/usCountry}}Expecting their pending arrears by January 31, 2026, contractual employees belonging to kitchen staff, security guards, sanitation workers and parking attendants said that they will continue their chain hunger strike till January 31.