Nimhans, Victoria Hospital contract workers seek parity with permanent staff

Contract workers at the Victoria Hospital and Nimhans protest against the alleged apathy of the hospital authorities on Monday. Special arrangement

Around 100 outsourced workers at Nimhans and the Victoria Hospital staged a protest at their respective campuses on Monday seeking equal treatment with their permanent counterparts with regards to the quarantine facility.

While the permanent staff testing positive were being quarantined in the hospitals instead of being sent to Covid Care Centres, the same wasn't being done for the contract workers, the workers alleged.

The workers said those of them who tested positive couldn't be home quarantined as their homes were too small.

The NIMHANS Pragatipara Workers' Union also demanded proper hospitalisation, treatment, safety kits, PPEs, Rs 50 lakh Covid-19 insurance, facilities for bathing and dress change after work, payment of lockdown wages, and special one month pay for Covid-related work for the workers.

However, the hospitals' authorities have denied the allegations and said all staff were being treated equally.

Nimhans has more than 800 outsourced employees as according to the Central government's policy they cannot hire any more permanent staff.

At the Victoria Hospital, the workers have been given rooms in the nursing college and nursing school when on duty for seven days. Post-duty quarantine has been provided at Vishranthi Dhama, service apartments in Bommasandra, in a hostel attached to Infant Jesus Church, and at a separate block in Minto Hospital, the authorities said.

"Food is being provided by the caterer who is cooking for the doctors, nurses on duty and the patients. Admission to the Victoria Hospital in a separate block is also being offered along with nurses if they test positive," said Smitha Segu, Victoria Hospital nodal officer, to DH.

Meanwhile, Dr K Sekar, Registrar, Nimhans, told DH that the allegations were baseless.

"Those who test positive have to go to the Victoria Hospital and Nimhans cannot treat them. The hospital is providing the quarantine facility for the mildly symptomatic if they cannot be quarantined at home. The allegation of wages being held back during the lockdown is absolute nonsense," Sekar said.

"The hospital can produce payment proofs routed through the bank to the outsourced agency concerned," he said.

"Nobody's payment has been withheld till June. Even though they did not turn up for work, they have been paid in full, he added.

While clarifying that there was no differentiation in the PPE given to outsourced employees and permanent staff, Sekar said the kits have ISO certification and are non-permeable and non-absorbable.

"We are talking to them in small groups. We are not looking down upon our workers, including our security guards. If there is any Covid patient with problems, I'm willing to go home to them personally and enquire about their wellbeing," Sekar said.