Chain fast by PGI staff enters Day 40

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19

The chain fast being observed by contractual sanitation workers and hospital attendants at the PGIMER today entered Day 40.

The protesters have been demanding ‘equal pay for equal work’ and regularisation of their services as per the notification issued by the Union Government.

The protesters today met MP Kirron Kher and submitted a charter of their demands to her. Sripal, an office-bearer of the Contractual Workers’ Union, said the MP had assured them to look into their demands and she would also write a letter to the PGIMER administration in this regard.

To end the deadlock, the Labour Department will hold a conciliation meeting with the protesters and the PGIMER administration tomorrow. Sripal said if no decision was taken on their demands by tomorrow, they would take out a protest rally from the PGIMER campus to the rally ground in Sector 25 on August 21 at 5 pm.

He said their demands included implementation of the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ and regularisation of their services as per the notification issued by the Union Government.

“In 2010, the then Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner had directed the PGIMER administration to implement equal pay for equal work in four categories — hospital attendants/ housekeeping 

workers, sanitation attendants/workers, security guards and bearers/ masalchi. However, the administration has failed to implement it,” he added.

Labour Dept to hold meet today

• To end the deadlock, the Labour Department will hold a conciliation meeting with the protesters and the PGIMER administration on Tuesday. 
• Sripal, an office-bearer of the Contractual Workers’ Union,said if no decision was taken on their demands by Tuesday, they will take out a protest rally.