WB Municipal Health workers demand pay hike, family compensation, and Govt benefits

On Thursday, the West Bengal Municipal Health Employees (Contract) Union held a protest at the Salt Lake Urban Development and Municipal Affairs (UDMA) office, raising several demands to improve the working conditions and welfare of municipal health workers. One of the main demands of the protesters was an immediate increase in the monthly allowance for municipal health employees. The union highlighted that the current allowances were insufficient to meet the financial needs of workers, especially in the face of rising living costs.

The union also demanded a compensation package for the families of employees who die while on duty. Specifically, they called for a payment of 5 lakh rupees to be provided to the family of any worker who loses their life in the course of their work. Furthermore, the union requested that employees aged over 60, who suffer from serious illness or health complications, be granted the option to retire with full retirement benefits. This would ensure that older workers are not left without support in their later years, particularly in cases of severe illness.

In addition to these demands, the union called for the formal recognition of municipal health workers as government employees, which would entitle them to the same benefits afforded to other government sector employees. This would include the provision of government holidays, pension schemes, provident fund contributions, and inclusion in the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme. The union emphasized that such recognition would not only improve the financial security and benefits of municipal health workers but also formally acknowledge the crucial role they play in the city's healthcare system.