Around 6000 health workers will stage a protest at Freedom Park after the health department did not regularize their jobs.
Around 6000 covid warriors are will stage a protest at Freedom Park on April 8 for the vacancy continuation in the health department. This comes after the Karnataka Health department failed to fulfill its promise to regularize their jobs and provide job security.
In 2020, the state government recruited 6,463 workers as nursing officers, lab technicians, vacuum cleaners, pharmacists, data entry operators, junior women and Group-D post. s The government promised them contract-based employment, but the unplanned process led to the contracts being extended every three to six months.
“However, on March 31 all the workers were relieved from their posts by saying there is no corona anymore,” Shylalourdu Mary, a nursing officer from Tumkur said.
She added that all the health workers who were taken into the department were selflessly fighting day and night—On March 31, she said, “We were shocked by the department’s inability to continue,”
Lakshmi, a lab technician said her family’s livelihood depends on this and she does not have any other option. This order has created uncertainty among all the contract-based health workers.
A nursing officer said that they have not received their last three months salary and risk allowance of Rs 5,000, which was supposed to be given to them during covid.
Hanumesh, State committee member of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) said that the government should take immediate action to recruit those who had served as corona warriors to the vacant posts. “The health department should release the pending salary of the workers along with risk allowances, in several districts,” he said.
On World Health Day, those who are the primary caretakers are battling to keep their employment.
