KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Asha Workers Union Kashmir, affiliated with CITU, held a protest demonstration Monday in Srinagar to highlight its demands.
ASHA workers, led by general secretary Rifat Ara, took out the protest demonstration from SK Park to Press Colony. The protesting ASHA workers were holding placards and banners in their hands and raising slogans in support of their demands, like their recognition as employee, minimum wages, changing room, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, pre-paid mobile, uniforms and better service conditions.
Speaking on the occasion, senior CITU leaders Om Prakash Sharma and Abdul Rashid Najar highlighted the grievances of ASHA workers, who have to work for at least 7 to 8 hours daily but are considered as voluntary health activists and are not paid even minimum wages.
They demanded that considering the crucial nature of their job, ASHA workers should be regularized as health workers and paid the statutory minimum wages in the State. They added that continuous struggles of ASHA and effective leadership and support of the Central Trade Unions under the leadership of CITU have resulted in the recommendations of the 45th Indian Labour Conference that ASHA must be recognized as employees, be given minimum wages and pension. But successive Governments have kept mum on this crucial question, they said.
The protest demonstration was also addressed by Nazia, Mubeena, Hameeda, Gulshana and other senior leaders of ASHA Workers’ Union. They demanded implementation of Government of India’s order dated 3rd January 2014 for revision of incentive from 10000/- to 16000/- per year, implementation of minimum wages, payments on account of Janani Suraksha Yojana, coverage under Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, cash payment to beneficiaries, postnatal checkups, Immunization, Vaccine carrier, mobile charges, family planning, etc.
They warned to intensify the struggle if their demands are not conceded.
