Contractor proposes pay cut for nurses, relents after protest

Nurses and other workers hired on contract by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run SVP Hospital went on a flash strike on Monday on announcement of a salary cut by their contractor, but withdraw the agitation after the move was rolled back. Earlier in the day, about 100 nurses went on a strike and staged protests claiming that the conrtact firm had proposed a monthly salary cut of around Rs 7,000.

Following protests outside the hospital, a major COVID-19 facility with 800 beds, the contractor firm rolled back its decision. The company also agreed to pay 20 per cent additional salary to its staffers working at the hospital.

In a joint statement, SVP and the contract firm announced that the latter will pay 20 per cent additional salary to its staff engaged in treating COVID-19 patients. It also announced an additional daily incentive of Rs 250 for those on COVID-19 duty, following which the strike was called off.

Later, the AMC issued an order taking control of such contracting firms and their staff posted at civic-run hospitals under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The civic body declared such staff as "designated COVID-19 employees" and put them under its supervision.