75,000 BMC workers to go on strike

Unhygienic working conditions in municipal hospitals have forced 75,000 BMC workers to go on a three-day strike from June 29.

The strike will include 30,000 workers comprising nurses, ward boys, ayahs and matrons from Sion, Nair, Kasturba and Sewri TB hospitals. Also, paramedics, dispensaries and maternity homes will be part of the protest.

“We are protesting the pathetic working conditions in municipal hospitals,” said Sharad Rao, president, Municipal Workers’ Union.

“Doctors don’t give medicine prescription and ask relatives to get bed sheets and food for patients. Our workers are not given any equipment to clean the wards. The patients don’t complain to seniors. It’s the nurses and ward boys who are always at the receiving end.”

Rao said they don’t even get weekly offs. “Municipal hospitals are short-staffed. There are at least 5,000 posts for ward boys, nurses, ayahs and paramedics that are vacant for several months now.

Also, our workers feel cheated as their wages are not as per the Sixth Pay Commission,” he said.

Rao claimed that the BMC was violating the Contractual Labourers Act which doesn’t allow those employed on contract to do permanent nature of work.

Swadhin Kshatriya, municipal commissioner, said, “We will call the union leader for a meeting next week. The civic body has already entered into a memorandum of understanding with the workers and will soon sign an agreement.”