BENGALURU: ASHA workers in Karnataka are set to go on an indefinite strike starting January 7 at Freedom Park, demanding fixed wages and incentives. Despite their role in delivering healthcare services, around 42,000 workers argue that they have faced years of unfulfilled promises, delayed payments and inadequate compensation from the government, despite multiple requests.
Apart from demanding a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 15,000, ASHA workers are calling for an increase of Rs 2,000 for city-based workers, which they say is mandatory to meet the higher cost of living in urban areas. They further demanded the immediate release of pending incentives which have not been paid for the last 2-3 months.
Another key demand is the withdrawal of an official memorandum issued on November 28, 2024, which mandates that ASHA workers use smartphones for their tasks.
The workers argued that this directive places an undue burden on them and raised demands for compensation for the mobile-related tasks or alternative arrangements for those unable to comply with the directive.
The protestors are also demanding a service pension of Rs 5 lakh per annum, similar to amount given to workers in other states like West Bengal, apart from annual health check-ups and free treatment for severe diseases.
Moreover, as part of their overall demands, Asha workers demanded to be recognised as formal employees, with benefits such as gratuity, PF, and Employee State Insurance.