Equal Pay for Equal Work: Cachar NHM Employees Join Statewide Protest at S.M. Dev Civil Hospital

Hundreds of National Health Mission (NHM) workers in Silchar joined a statewide protest on Monday, demanding equal pay, job regularisation, and social security benefits at par with regular government employees. The protest, organised by the All Assam Health Technical Welfare Association, NHM Assam and NHM Employees Association, Assam, was held from 10 am to 3 pm at S.M. Dev Civil Hospital, Silchar.

The employees observed a “work boycott and sit-in protest” demanding that the state government fulfil their long-pending demands, which include the implementation of pay scales as per the 2013 Supreme Court verdict ensuring equal pay for equal work, and the 2021 Assam Gazette Notification providing pension, gratuity, and other benefits.

A health worker at the protest said, “If the government is not listening to our grievances and not taking responsibility, then their regular staff can look after the patients. For 18 years, we have been requesting the government, but nothing has changed. In 2016, we got promises, but they were empty. Now we have to think about ourselves. If the government wants the public not to suffer, they must agree to at least a few of our demands.”

She added that if the workload is the same, the salary should be the same as well. “We may halt the protest temporarily if the government fulfils at least two to four of our demands,” she said, stressing that NHM workers will continue their struggle until their demands are met.

Another staff member of the NHM said, “Across the state, there are over 2,200 NHM workers. We have been working since 2006 and have raised our demands before the Chief Minister, the Health Minister, and the department officials several times. Our main demand is equal pay. If our workload is the same as regular workers, our salary must be the same too.”

He mentioned that the protest will continue for three days in Silchar, with hundreds of NHM staff participating. “We work day and night tirelessly. Until our jobs are regularised or we get the same facilities as other health workers, we will continue the protest,” he said.

The protesting workers said they have been raising their concerns for 18 years without any resolution. They warned that if the government fails to respond with written assurance within a specific time, the movement will intensify further.

The associations also clarified that they will not be responsible for any situation arising from the ongoing protest, putting the onus on the government to act upon their legitimate demands.