By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

Contract health workers of Government Rajaji Hospital staged a protest outside Collectorate here on Monday demanding the contract company to release the pending salary amount.

Baskaran, COITU, State Organising Secretary, said that since the new contract company took over the hospital works, part of the salary the workers receive was being withheld by the company.

“While the workers received ₹13,000 every month, now they are being paid only about ₹11,000,” he added.

When the workers inquired about this, the company seemed not to be responding to them.

“While the local management say they will be paying the arrears in the following month, no steps have been taken towards that,” Mr. Baskaran noted.

He alleged that the contract company was flouting the daily wage rules fixed by the Collector.

“While Collector has fixed ₹729 as the daily wage, the company pays only about ₹400,” he stated.

Not only is this a gross violation of the Collector’s order but also against the labour rights of the workers, he said.

“The company is also negligent to the notices of the Labour Welfare Department seeking a clarification regarding low wage paid,” he stated.

The State government should interfere in the administration and ensure the workers were cleared off the payments before the end of this month, the protesters demanded.