Mysore/Mysuru: After Government doctors’ silent protest, now contract and outsourced workers belonging to Departments of Health, Medical Education and National Health Mission have decided to go on indefinite strike from Sept. 24.

They have urged the State Government to fulfill their charter of demands which included equal work-equal pay, job security and insurance coverage.

Addressing a press conference in city this morning, Chandrashekar, District President of Karnataka State Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Department Contract and Outsourced Employees Association, said around 30,000 contract and outsourced employees were working all over the State. 

In Mysuru District, the number was around 1,000. Nearly, 15 per cent of the workers had contracted COVID-19 recently and all of them have recovered. Now, they have decided not to  submit daily report on COVID-19 from Thursday.

He said after repeated plea, the Government appointed a Committee to look into their demands but it did not do anything. The authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to their demands in spite of submitting memorandum to them several times. With no positive response from the Government they were forced to take such a drastic step, he added.

Chandrashekar said their demands are: job security, regularisation of jobs, formulating HR Policy on Haryana model, uniform pay scale for employees of Medical Education Department, direct payment of salary to all contract workers without middlemen, comprehensive health insurance coverage and other medical benefits, preference and weightage, no retrenchment on flimsy ground, special allowance and forming Employee Grievance Committee for Contract and Outsource Workers.

Association District Hon. President Rajesh, Vice-President Manjunath and Umesh were present during the press meet.