Workers across the country join forces for one-day strike of scheme workers
24 September, 2021: Healthcare workers employed to deliver different schemes under the National Health Mission (NHM) — such as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Aanganwadi Sewikas — held a one-day protest across India under the banner of Joint Platform of Scheme Workers Federations.
The platform submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, enlisting a 17-point demand charter. Regularisation of appointments, according to the recommendations of the 45th and 46th Indian Labour Conference.
Jammu & Kashmir: Daily wage workers in Ladakh go on strike, demand regularisation
17 September, 2021: Thousands of daily wage workers went on strike from 16 September, 2021, demanding regularisation of their services.
Daily wage workers have been toiling for Rs 250 per day, or Rs 6,500 a month, for years. They now seek wages and benefits on a par with permanent workers employed by the government.
Tamil Nadu: Ford workers protest factory closure; demand government intervention
15 September, 2021: After the United States-based automobile company Ford announced to shut operations at its Tamil Nadu plant in August, workers have been demanding that government intervene in the situation. The sudden closure of the factory affects the livelihood of more than 2,700 workers.
Maharashtra: Contract health workers on strike against premature termination of contracts
7 September, 2021: More than 500 frontline health workers employed to fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during its deadly second wave have been on strike since 2 September, 2021 since the Pune city administration prematurely terminated their contract.
Health workers were hired under the National Health Mission to work through 30 September. But the administration abruptly ended the contract on 31 August, 2021.
Further, more than 85 nurses employed at the Sasoon Hospital have not been paid for the last two months.
Punjab: Contract transport workers on indefinite strike for equal-pay-equal-work
06 September, 2021: The contractual and outsourced employees of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), Punjab Roadways and Punbus went on indefinite strike demanding regularisation of services and equal pay for equal work.
In 2017, the government had proposed a regularisation plan, however, there has been no progress in this regard which has irked the workers. Workers are also demanding an end to widening disparity between the wages and benefits of permanent and contract workers.
Chandigarh: NHM workers’ strike leads to raises
04 September, 2021: The 15-day-long strike of more than 300 National Health Mission (NHM) workers ended when the Union territory’s administration agreed to raise their wages.
NHM workers employed as paramedical staff and managerial employees, including nursing officers, pharmacy officers, auxiliary nurse midwives, lab technicians, dental technicians and other Group-4 staffers, forced to work for wages even below the notified minimum wages since 2013.
Tripura: Agartala Jute Mills workers, pensioners demand implementation of SC orders
04 September, 2021: Incumbent and retired workers of Agartala Jute Mills organised under the banner of Joint Movement Committee of Tripura Jute Mill Workers and Pensioners. They demanded the implementation of a Supreme Court directive to the government to revise their meagre wages and immediately release arrears.
The government had taken the matter to the Supreme Court when the high court reprimanded it for its statement that it could not afford to pay arrears due to a lack of funds.
The apex court upheld the HC order and asked the state to pay up without delay.
Karnataka: Workers continue protest against illegal termination by NIMHANS
03 September 2021: Nineteen contract safai karmcharis have been protesting since July, 2021 against illegal termination of their services by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).
The hospital fired them in July when they expressed their inability to work through 9:30 pm as the city would be under curfew from 9 pm.
Workers sought transportation service to return home due to non-availability of public transport, after which the management fired them. Of the 19 workers, 15 were women. A majority of the workers were from Dalit communities.
