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Non-payment of salaries: Contractual support staff’s strike hits services at Ludhiana civil hospital
The contractual para-medical and support staff at civil hospital Ludhiana, on Wednesday, started an indefinite strike against non-payment of last three months’ salaries, causing inconvenience to patients
The contractual para-medical and support staff at civil hospital here, on Wednesday, under the banner of User Charges and Employees’ Struggle Committee, started an indefinite strike against non-payment of last three months’ salaries, causing inconvenience to patients.
Ward helpers, staff nurses and technician assistants remained absent from the out-patient departments’ (OPDs) and wards, leading to chaotic scenes at the civil hospital. Serpentine queues of patients and their attendants could be seen at the OPDs.
The protest, which stems from non-payment of salaries for last three months, has led to severe shortage of support-staff in the hospital. Patients who had reached the hospital to seek medical treatment, had to run from pillar to post due to very limited staff.
Raghwinder Singh, a 25-year-old, suffering from high blood sugar and breathing problems, said his attendant had to make hectic efforts for arranging a para-medical staff member to get an injection administered . “I got admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and brought an insulin with my own expenses for injection. Despite repeated requests to the authorities, it took five hours for us to arrange a para-medical staff member to administer the injection,” said Raghwinder.
Another patient, Harnek Singh (50), said he was admitted to the civil hospital on Tuesday night but was left to fend for himself without any assistance. “I am suffering from a liver-related problem and had come here with a hope to get cured but the chaos has compounded my pain,” said Harnek Singh.
A senior doctor at the civil hospital, requesting anonymity, said while the problems being faced by patients due to the strike was obvious, maximum para-medical staff going on strike has made it difficult for doctors to perform duties smoothly.
Members of the striking committee said despite repeated requests, there has been no response from hospital administration to them.
“We had given a 10-day deadline for the release of two months’ wages on May 17, but there has been no response from the hospital administration and the health department,” said Raj Kumar Sathi, president of the committee.
The hospital management attempted to persuade the employees to end the strike by promising immediate payment of one month’s salary. The striking employees though stood firm on their demand for the release of two months’ salary together.
Chairman of the committee, Raj Kumar Sathi and employee leader Raj Kumar Hapi said the striking employees are suffering from deep financial crisis, which can be addressed only with the release of three months’ salary.
“The contractual workers have alleged that despite performing essential duties, they are not being provided with basic rights such as regular wages, job security, and other employee benefits. We will continue the strike till the time demands are not met,” the committee members added.
Amarjit Kaur, senior medical officer said, “I have sent repeated reminders in form of letters to the department regarding the pending salary. The department released one-month salary on Tuesday evening which will soon get credited in the bank accounts of employees. I have asked doctors and rest of the staff to cooperate with the patients so that they should do not suffer”.
