CONTRACT Workers (Attendants and Wardboys), outsourced through private agencies, deployed at JLN Hospital and Research Center, Bhilai along with Hindustan Ispat Theka Shramik Union (CITU) members on Friday staged a vehement demonstration while pressing demands for immediate payment of pending wages and other dues. Since early morning the demonstration, staged at the hospital premises, was continued untill the last report came in. However the authorities from hospital administration were negotiating with the agitating contract workers and trade union leaders but the demonstration was continued in want of written assurance regarding pending dues and compliance of certain norms.

According to information, on Friday morning, over 200 contract workers, deployed on contact basis at JLN Hospital and Research Center, Bhilai, accompanied by the trade union’s office bearers and members, staged a vehement demonstration while pressing demands for immediate wages payment and clearing

other dues.

The contract workers alleged that they were not being paid wages in time as no one was paid the wages since November month. Even some of them are not paid the wages since October month in spite of regular attendance and hardwork. They also pressed demands for immediate measures for ensuring immediate payment of wages, other pending dues and strict compliance of norms for safeguarding their interest.

P K Mukherjee, the founder member of CITU in Bhilai informed that the trade union was pursuing the issue with the hospital administration in committed manner for safeguarding interest of contract workers as they are always subjected to exploitation by meager wage payment and are also deprived of other due benefits. He alleged that without considering the provisions, laid down in Minimum Wages Payment Act, the management awarded the contract to the party quoted lowest rate, leading the issue. He also alleged the

new contractor for offering meager wages to the contract workers of hospital.

The contract workers were also not issued the pay slips, attendance card, gate passes. Besides, they were also not paid the due retrenchment benefits along with the bonus by the previous contractor. He also added that the contract workers are intending to stage demonstration till the management issue written assurance regarding wages payment as per rates and strict compliance of all norms.

The office bearers from Hindustan Ispat Theka Shramik Union including Yogesh Soni General Secretary and Zamil Ahmed, the president along with other office bearers and members accompanied the agitating contract workers. Public Relation Department, BSP officials informed that being the Principal Employer the management agreed to clear payment of pending retrenchment benefits and bonus not cleared by the previous contractor.

The management has also agreed to ensure strict compliance of all norms. The talks with the delegation of contract workers and labour leaders are still in progress to sort out the issue. However the essential services were hardly affected at JLN Hospital, Bhilai owing to the development.