Conservancy workers employed at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital boycott work, stage protest
The Hindu
Contract conservancy workers at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital protest for better treatment and wages, demanding quality cleaning materials.
Contract conservancy workers employed at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) boycotted work and staged a protest on Monday highlighting various demands.
The protesters alleged that one of the workers, R. Irulai (45) from Ondipudur, suffered breathlessness while cleaning a toilet at the hospital recently. She was rushed to the casualty ward and the doctor who examined Ms. Irulai told her that the breathlessness was due to cold and shifted her to a ward. Later, a doctor asked Ms. Irulai to ‘stop acting’, and she was discharged from the hospital within 24 hours. They added that two workers, namely Paapathiammal and Dhanalakshmi, who suffered injuries after slipping on hospital floor in the past also did not get proper treatment.
Alleging that the cleaning agent provided to them was highly corrosive, the protesters wanted the hospital administration to provide quality cleaning materials and offer good treatment in the event of them having health issues. They also wanted the employer to pay a daily wage of ₹721 that was fixed by the District Collector.
The hospital administration held talks with the representatives of workers. The workers did not boycott duty in emergency wards