Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers are on a warpath again. After withdrawing their 20-day strike in July following an assurance from the Health Minister B. Sriramulu that their demand for a fixed monthly honorarium of ₹12,000 would be considered, ASHA workers will stage a massive State-level protest at Freedom Park on Wednesday.
Over 500 members of Karnataka Rajya Samyukta ASHA Karyakartheyara Sangha affiliated to All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) from across the State will assemble at Freedom Park on Wednesday.
“Our primary demand is a fixed monthly honorarium of ₹12,000. ASHA workers have been frontline warriors during the COVID-19 pandemic but are paid only a paltry ₹4,000 per month. Despite an assurance from the Minister, nothing has happened even after two months,” said D. Nagalakshmi, State secretary of the sangha.
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The workers other demands include regular health checks for all ASHA workers, provision of face masks, hand sanitizers, gloves and PPE kits.