Seeking salary hike, Ludhiana Civil Hospital contractual staff begin hunger strike

Continues to press for their demand of regularisation of 200 vacant posts and salary hikes applicable at DC rates, the contractual employees at civil hospital began their hunger strike on Monday.

Employees hired under the User Charges policy in 2014, including staff nurses, rank four employees, lab technicians, and operating theater assistants, intensified their front against the state government demanding “documented assurance of salary hike.”

However, two days ago Ludhiana civil surgeon Hitinder Kaur has given the written assurance of a meeting with Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh to the protesting employees. The civil surgeon assured the protesting staff members of a meeting with health minister on April 6, where they can raise their concerns and also appealed them to resume work.

Meanwhile, Raj Kumar Sathi, president of the User Charges Mulajhim Sangharsh Committee, said, “We will not lift our dharna only on the meeting assurance with the state health minister. We will first see how the discussions goes with the minister and till then this protest will not end.”

DC rate is the wages of unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers, which is decided by the district-level committee headed by the deputy commissioners. Protesters alleged that they are being paid on a part-time basis, despite of giving 12-hour long duties.