NEW DELHI: Having worked for more than a decade, 43 contract employees at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Sunday protested outside the hospital alleging that they were fired from their jobs.
According to a health ministry notification, the employees who were thrown out included lab technicians, cooks and Lower Division Clerks (LDCs). The ministry said the contract employees were being fired to make new appointments through outsourcing the vacancies.
According to Pushpa, an LDC, she had been working in the hospital since 2005, and this year her contract was terminated. "Not just this, our salary was also halted for March," she added. Many other LDCs also claimed that their salary has been halted for more than seven months.
Pushpa said that they worked so hard during the pandemic and this is how they are being paid for it.
The issue regarding their termination has been ongoing since 2016 when they received their termination letters. Pushpa added that employees also filed a case against their termination in the Central Administrative Tribunal and it was stayed by the tribunal.
The ministry, later again issued their termination letters in March this year. On Friday, the employees protested outside the hospital and narrated their ordeal. The protesting employees also included a physically challenged employee Nanak Chand who worked in RML for 12 years.
"I am physically challenged and so is my wife. I am the sole breadwinner in my family. First they used us and now have terminated us. Is this how they will reward those who perform their duties honestly?" asked Chand.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also visited the RML hospital to listen to their issues and ensured that their grievances will be heard soon.