MKCG medical college and hospital unit of the Odisha Medical Workers’ Union held a demonstration in Berhampur on Monday for six long-standing demands.
They took out a rally from the college campus and handed over a memorandum at the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division. According to protestors, they had held discussions with the medical college authorities on January 13 regarding their demands. Most of their demands were related to the group IV employees of this medical college.
They wanted the authorities to reinstate 63 temporary employees who have been removed from their posts although they had served the institution for over 15 years till 2001. According to the union leaders, the authorities had agreed to reinstate these employees but it had not been done yet. The union was also opposed to outsourcing of various works. They claimed that it was leading to exploitation of workers. “Two private security firms are employed by the medical college authorities. While one firm provides Rs.4,500 per month to its security guards another pays only Rs.1,800 per month. These salaries are much lower than the prescribed by the government,” said union vice-president Sukant Mukhi.
They demanded that the vacant posts of assistant steward, sample taker, attendant and laboratory attendant be filled up by group IV employees through promotion. They also requested that their living quarters be renovated and repaired. They said that declining strength of group IV employees was affecting the hospital’s functioning. “Although crores are being spent on new buildings, the government is not providing proper manpower to the hospital.” They also wanted their representatives to be included in the hospital’s management committee.
