Reinstatement of 264 ASHAs Huge Victory for ASHA Workers’ Struggle

THE reinstatement of the 264 ASHA workers by the Champawat District CMO is a victory for the workers’ struggle, noted a statement issued by the Uttarakhand ASHA Health Workers Union (affiliated to AICCTU) State General Secretary Dr Kailash Pandey on 8 July 2020. It should be noted that 264 ASHA workers in Champawat were removed from work because they had asked for due wages for their work, after which ASHA workers waged a statewide struggle through protests.

Dr Pandey said that the order to reinstate the ASHA workers has been issued under pressure from the statewide ASHA protests. ASHA workers deserve to be congratulated for their unity and spirited struggle. He further said that now the government should without delay announce Rs 10000 Lockdown Allowance for ASHAs, who are frontline Corona warriors, and also announce monthly salary for ASHAs who are working without salary.

Dr Pandey said that ASHAs have never refused to do whatever work was enjoined upon them by the Health Department, whether in normal times or in this Corona pandemic time. They are only asking for due wages for their work, which the government does not want to give them. The question is, how long will ASHAs continue to work like bonded labor without wages? The government must answer this question.

Dr Pandey demanded that until ASHAs are given a monthly salary, they should be given a monthly honorarium like other scheme workers. Rs 10000 Lockdown Allowance should be put into their accounts within 15 days, failing which ASHA workers will be constrained to launch an intensified struggle.