Andhra Pradesh Contract Health Staff Pause Strike After Talks, Resume October 11

Contract health staff in Andhra Pradesh pause their strike after discussion with officials

All contract staff in the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare across Andhra Pradesh are to resume duties from October 11 after their joint action committee temporarily paused its strike.

The A.P. Medical and Health Contract Employees’ Joint Action Committee took the decision after discussions with health officials on Saturday, October 10.

Strike followed unmet demands

The JAC had called for a boycott of duties from October 6, saying its demands for regularisation of services and payment of gross salary had remained unmet despite several discussions with the government.

The protest involved nurses and other contract staff in the department.

The government had maintained that the two major demands could not be granted because of the financial situation of the State.

The Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare had, however, agreed to grant some non-financial requests raised by the association.

These included payment of ex gratia to the families of contract health staffers who lost their lives in the line of duty during the pandemic, as well as radiation leave for radiographers.

Committee to examine incentive demand

During the discussions on Saturday, JAC members also demanded an incentive of 30% based on the existing basic pay of contract employees.

The meeting was held with health officials, including Commissioner K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu.

According to a release from the JAC, the officials indicated that a special committee would examine the incentive demand.

The JAC described this response as positive and decided to call off the strike temporarily.

Major demands remain pending

The JAC said its decision did not mean that it had withdrawn its major demands.

It said the temporary pause would provide an opportunity for the government to resolve the issues through discussions.

The development therefore resumes services while leaving the demands for regularisation and gross salaries unresolved.

Source: The Hindu