Plans were to remove health workers in Delhi’s Lady Harding Hospital and Medical College, who have risked their lives during the pandemic to battle Corona, from their jobs, but with timely judicial and militant intervention by AICCTU the Delhi High Court has given a stay in favour of the workers. The High Court has also ordered Delhi Government to institute an inquiry into the matter and report to the court.
It is a hard reality that the consistent attacks on labor laws have made the conditions of workers go from bad to worse. During this Corona pandemic, health workers who have fought with the greatest courage are facing ill-treatment, illegal salary cuts, removal from employment and non-availability of safety equipment. The Modi government showered them with flower petals from the air, but did nothing to guarantee their salary, safety and employment.
AICCTU organized protests at the Lady Harding Hospital and Medical College gate against the removal of contract workers. The protests was led by AICCTU Delhi State Secretary Surya Prakash. Earlier, AICCTU had also held protests against non-payment of wages to contract workers at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (under the Central government).
It should be noted that despite all claims the government has proved a failure in the fight against Corona. Neither has the infection been controlled, nor have the health workers got their due rights. Lady Harding Hospital is under the Central government and yet the government pays no heed to the problems of these workers. Health workers across the country are forced to work in the midst of acute shortage of PPE and other safety equipment. Several cases have come to light where workers, especially contract workers, are not paid wages. At some hospitals in and around Delhi even doctors are not paid salaries on time.
The contract workers at Lady Harding Hospital do equal work as the permanent employees in that institute, but their wages are much less. Each time the work contract is renewed, money is illegally collected from them in the name of keeping them on as employees. Such corruption is not possible without connivance between the contractor and government officials. Some of the victimized workers have paid up as much as Rs 15,000. Recently many contract workers have been told by the hospital management and contractor that they will be removed from work, and this has caused great anxiety to these health workers who are known as ‘frontline workers’. Through the union these workers have knocked at the door of the Delhi High Court.
The silence of the hospital management and the central government on this matter is a betrayal not only of the workers but also of the common people who are struggling for prevention and treatment of Corona.
AICCTU State Secretary Surya Prakash said that despite being informed about the situation, neither the hospital management nor the Central government has taken any positive steps. Such insensitive behavior towards health workers clearly shows the government’s anti-worker attitude. In the days to come AICCTU will continue the struggle for workers’ rights.
