Covid Brigade: At your service, against all odds
KOCHI: Nearly 20,000 workers who were part of the Covid Brigade during the first and second waves are still struggling. They got no priority vaccine or benefits, but despite all the ill-treatment, most of them are ready to get back to service if the need arises. For a week now, most of them are staging an indefinite round-the-clock strike in front of the Secretariat. Over 100 Covid Brigade workers, mostly women, are taking part in the strike, reinforcing their earlier demands — paying off the pending allowances as a one-time settlement and a decent experience certificate among others.
Sreekkuttan Satheesh worked as a data entry operator for a year at IMG last year and is yet to receive the pending risk allowance of six months. “The risk allowance will be beneficial to us only if they pay it in time. All of us come from ordinary families and are living in debt and borrowed money. We also deserve priority appointments as promised. The department is neglecting us, and moving ahead with political appointments. This is cruel and unjust. The experience letter that we are given cannot be submitted anywhere,” said Sreekuttan, who gathered the members for the protest.
Committed to serve
“I am getting a better salary at my organisation in Technopark. Still, we work in Covid Brigade because we want to help. We don’t have a lot of money to donate, so we are donating our effort. Despite all the ill-treatment, we will continue to help if the need arises,” said Sreekuttan.
Divya G S, cleaning staff at Government Medical College hospital, is at the protest with her five-year-old baby who is fighting heart-related ailments. Her husband is handicapped and had been working in a juice shop. He lost his job due to the pandemic.
The couple is now struggling to pay off their child’s medical loan and buy medicines. Divya was part of the Covid Brigade for more than a year and her risk allowances for six months are still pending.
Unkept promises
In May 2021, the Central Government recommended states and union territories consider giving preference to professionals involved in Covid duty when it comes to appointments at regular government facilities through Public Service Commission / other recruitments. It applies to those who completed a minimum of 100 days in the Covid Brigade.