PUNE: Health workers appointed on a contract basis at various hospitals under the National Health Mission have been protesting against premature termination of their contracts since September 2.
The health workers said their latest three-month contract, or in some cases four months, started on July 1 and should have ended on September 30. However, they were told to leave without any prior notice on August 31. Almost 85-plus nurses and some other staffers appointed at the Sassoon hospital said they had not been paid salaries for the last two months.
A nurse appointed on a contract basis at the Sassoon hospital said, “I joined in May 2020 and worked through the worst Covid waves seen by the district. Now, despite two months remaining in our four-month contract, they are throwing us out.”
A nurse hailing from Latur said, “We feel cheated. Had we worked in a private hospital, at least our salaries would have been timely and after a year, they would have given us some increment.”
A contract health worker under the PMC said they could not seek help from the labour court and other avenues as the contractual labour force was unorganised.
A senior official said, “When the Union government says that there is no need to continue their services as the Covid situation is under control or don’t release the grant, we have no option but to let them go.”
In Pune district, 594 people were appointed on contract basis. “We have paid them July salaries while the August salary will be credited by Wednesday,” he said.
