Outsourced Employees On Indefinite Strike At Gandhi Hospital

HYDERABAD: Patients were left in a state of shock after contract and outsourcing staff at COVID-19 nodal centre Gandhi Hospital boycotted duties and staged a protest for the fulfillment of their demands such as the regularization of jobs and salary hikes.

Gandhi Hospital staff along with representatives of trade unions - CITU, INTUC, BMS and AITUC have convened a meeting on Tuesday night and have decided to go on indefinite strike as their demands were not addressed by the government and medical authorities.

Meanwhile, about 212 outsourced nurses of the hospital who have been on strike since Friday seeking regularisation of their jobs have intensified their protest.

"We have been protesting for five days with a demand for regularization of jobs and salaries hike. And also to provide incentives and insurance. But, the government is not addressing our demands," the representatives of contact nursing union said. The union made it clear they will continue the protest until their demands get fulfilled by the government.

"Class-IV employees and about 300 OCS staff should be regularized and they should be given job security. Also, the government should pay the wages directly to the workers. The salaries of sanitation workers, security staff, and patient caretakers should be increased to Rs 20,000,"  Sivakumar, president of the INTUC Gandhi unit said, adding that the protest will continue until their demands were met.

About 900 COVID-19 patients being treated at Gandhi Hospital faced problems as the caretakers, sanitation workers, ward boys and security staff boycotted their duties and sat on protest.