PGI contract workers threaten protest over arrears on August 8

Chandigarh, July 27

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the PGIMER Contract Workers’ Union has submitted a memorandum to the hospital authorities and threatened to hold a massive protest from August 8.

A representative of the committee alleged that the PGI management failed to honour the written settlements and assurances made before the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) during the course of the last conciliation proceedings.

“The PGI management failed to release arrears of security guards, bearers and sanitary attendants from October 9, 2018, to January 12 this year. The Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner had directed the PGI management to resolve the issues before July 22, including the payment of arrears of Rs 30 crore to 1,600 hospital attendants and approval for revised wages from January 13. The PGI management had assured to release the arrears by July 7, but to no avail,” said Sanjeev Kumar, secretary general of the committee.

“The issue of wrong calculation of arrears of cooks has not been resolved. The accounts branch created an uncalled for controversy with regard to the arrears of the contract staff posted at Sangrur and Una, whereas their dues were part of a Rs 46 crore budget sent for approval. If the arrears were not cleared by August 5, the JAC will resort to holding a protest from August 8,” the JAC stated.