THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when the entire Congress leadership has declared its solidarity with the ASHA workers who are protesting in front of the state secretariat, Congress trade union INTUC has come out against the leadership for supporting the stir.
INTUC state president and president of All Kerala Pradesh ASHA Workers Congress, R Chandrasekharan, has said that the top Congress leaders should have contacted the INTUC before declaring solidarity with the agitators. “ASHA workers have the right to organise protests. However, this protest is against the interest of ASHA workers,” Chandrasekharan told TNIE.
“We have no objection to the protests. They deserve support. However, S Mini, the mastermind behind the protest, is a SUCI leader. In the 2019 and 2024 parliament elections she contested against the Congress candidate. SUCI tried to destroy Congress,” he said.
The INTUC leader said the main demand of the protesters is an increase in the honorarium. It won’t help improve the condition of ASHA workers.
“INTUC and ASHA workers’ organisation have been demanding that these workers should be accepted as labourers/employees and not as health volunteers.
An employee in service sector, who has been working for five years, is entitled to get a permanent job. The ASHA workers should be appointed as last-grade employees under the health department with the salary stipulated by the 11th Pay Commission. Diluting their grievances would not serve them well in the future,” he said.