OUR CORRESPONDENT
HAFLONG: With demands of equal pay for equal work, permanent employment, job regularization, and social security benefits equivalent to those of regular state government employees, the National Health Mission (NHM) employees of Dima Hasao along with rest of Assam started a three-day demonstration from November 3 at the premises of Joint Director of Health Services office.
The protest included sit-ins and work boycotts organized by NHM workers' associations in various districts, emphasizing grievances such as non-implementation of pay scales, lack of gratuity, pension, death benefits, and job security despite government assurances.
Key points of the demonstration include demand for a pay scale system for all NHM employees aligned with the 7th Pay Commission and Supreme Court verdict of 2013 on equal pay for equal work, inclusion of NHM employees under pension, gratuity, death benefits, and service book provisions as per the Assam Gazette Notification of 2021, regularization of jobs or at least implementation of pay scale revision as promised by state leadership, creation and filling of vacant posts in health institutions, and provision of job opportunities to eligible family members of employees who die in service.
The protest witnessed participation of hundreds of NHM workers, affecting health services in Dima Hasao districts along with other districts of the state. The workers reiterated their commitment to continue pressure until their demands are met, citing long years of service and their crucial role in health delivery despite contractual status.
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