National Health Mission workers protest demanding pending salaries and minimum wages.

Contract and outsourcing employees under the National Health Mission staged a protest in Hyderabad demanding minimum wages and release of pending salaries since November. They sought implementation of GO Ms No. 60 and were assured that their issues would be resolved within a fortnight

Hyderabad: The contract and outsourcing employees under the National Health Mission (NHM) on Monday participated in a protest outside the office of the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare at Koti, demanding minimum wages and immediate release of pending salaries since November.

Led by AITUC State Deputy General Secretary and NHM Employees Union State President M Narasimha and others, the contract and outsourcing employees demanded immediate implementation of GO Ms No. 60, which stipulates a minimum wage of Rs 15,600 for fourth-class employees.

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Currently, a total of 800 contract and outsourcing workers across Telangana under NHM are receiving close to Rs 10,000 per month. “This is a severe form of labour exploitation. The State government must ensure each employee under NHM receives Rs 15,600,” Narasimha said.

During the dharna, health care workers also criticised the Commissioner of Family Welfare administration for ‘stepmotherly treatment’ towards lower-level staff, while ignoring the rising cost of living and the fact that wages for November, December and January remain unpaid.

Following the protest, the employees also submitted a memorandum to Commissioner Dr S Sangeeta Satyanarayana. According to the protesting workers, the Commissioner of Health and Director of NHM assured that the pending wages and salary adjustments would be addressed within a fortnight.