GMCH-32 contractual staff stage protest over two-month delay in pay

The outsourced public health workers at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32 staged a protest during their lunch break on Wednesday, demanding the release of their overdue salaries. The employees gathered near the hospital’s gas plant to voice their frustration over not receiving their pay for the past two months.

More than 100 workers have been outsourced by the UT engineering department for areas like sewerage, fire safety and AC repair at the hospital.

The protest was called under the banner of joint action committee (JAC). Workers showed their agitation against the engineering department for not paying their salaries on time and causing financial burden on their families. JAC president Sukhbeer Singh said if the department does not pay workers’ salary in the coming days, they will go on a full day strike on February 7. No one came to talk to us during the protest, Sukhbeer added. They had also put the matter in front of chief engineer CB Ojha who had assured them of paying their salaries but no one has received it so far.

Chief engineer Ojha said, “The workers will get their pending salaries in a day or two. There was a budget issue initially, which have been resolved after it was brought to my notice.”