Chandigarh: PGIMER contract employees up the ante, say will strike work on Feb 16

The bench of justice GS Sandhwalia and justice Lapita Banerji directed that Ashwani Kumar Munjal, chairman, the joint action committee of the PGIMER Contract Workers’ Union, will not enter the hospital premises till further orders

Contractual workers of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) gathered in a rally ground of Sector 25 on Wednesday after the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed the February 7 strike notice given by various workers unions on Monday.

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The bench of justice GS Sandhwalia and justice Lapita Banerji directed that Ashwani Kumar Munjal, chairman, the joint action committee (JAC) of the PGIMER Contract Workers’ Union, will not enter the hospital premises till further orders.

Contract workers, led by Munjal, convened in Sector 25 and resolved to oppose the HC’s orders. The JAC said Munjal plans to lead a march towards PGIMER premises and voluntarily surrender himself to Chandigarh Police on February 15. The contract workers have also decided to initiate their protest from February 16 post lunch.

The workers are demanding revised wages, regularisation, leave benefits, medical facilities, bonuses and 24/7 canteen service. The contract workers include security guards, hospital attendants, lift operators, electricians, lab technicians and others. The total strength of these workers is around 4,000 which is over 50% of the regular staff of PGIMER.