Contract employees, doctors and nurses working with the health department under the National Health Mission (NHM) have threatened to go on indefinite strike during the legislature session, demanding implementation of the P N Srinivasachari committee report to ensure job security and equal pay.
Speaking to reporters, Vishwaradhya H Y, president of Karnataka State Health and Medical Education Department Contractual and Outsource Employees’ Association, said that the members were assured of suitable action when they had staged a protest in July.
"We had withdrawn our protest only after Health minister Dr K Sudhakar assured us that our demands will be met. But the government is delaying action and no measures have been taken over the last two months," Vishwaradhya said.
He said that the employees had been patient so far. Though the move to provide grace marks and relaxation in age limit were a welcome move, they demanded that the government provide a 15% pay hike at the earliest.
"We hope that the government immediately orders to provide a 15% pay hike, job security, life insurance and fulfills such other demands raised by us,' Vishwaradhya said.