One Day Long Mega Protest “Sit In” by Uttar Pradesh ASHA Workers Union in Lucknow
A massive protest, sit in, was held by Uttar Pradesh ASHA Workers Union (affiliated to AICCTU) on 12 September, 2022 in Lucknow.
The sit in was held despite the fact that the permission for the event was denied and an extremely hostile environment was created by the government machinery. The brave ASHA workers stood up to the challenge of defeating all attempts of creating fear among them and arrived in Lucknow in large numbers.
The Uttar Pradesh ASHA Workers Union have been militantly protesting since last one year demanding legal minimum wages and not the meager amount given as honorarium, gratuity and pension, recognition as health workers, payment of all pending dues, guarantee of health insurance of Rs 10 Lakhs and life insurance of Rs 50 Lakhs, ensuring ESI membership, constitution of anti sexual harassment cells and other demands. Along with this the union has also effectively raised the demand of setting up enquiry on the huge scam involving crores of rupees regarding non disbursal of incentive and relief money and the demand of bribe by responsible officials to disburse the same.
The sit in was called to ensure guarantee of the above mentioned demands.
The Uttar Pradesh ASHA Workers Union has, in the last one year, exposed the betrayal by some unions that have effectively been working as the spokesperson of the government. The ASHAs have charted out their own course of struggle by joining the union, “Uttar Pradesh ASHA Workers Union” affiliated to AICCTU.
The Union President Laxmi Devi said while addressing the sit in that the ASHAs have not been paid for last six months in the state. She added that given the corrupt administrative system, there is no guarantee that this money has already not been gulped down by corrupt officials. The question is also on the government that has chosen to remain silent over the issue so far. The CM had declared that the ASHAs will be given at least Rs 6000 per month and the facilitators will be given Rs 10,250 per month. This promise has also proven to be another empty rhetoric. The reality is that the ASHAs earn much lesser like Rs 2000 - 3000 per month, that too after payment of bribe to corrupt officials.
The Union Secretary Sadhna Pandey and VP Kamaljeet Kaur addressed the sit in and appealed the ASHA workers to intensify their struggle.
The President of the union of nursing staff in the King George’s Medical College, Yadunandini Singh also addressed the sit in. She said the government has effectively destroyed the health infrastructure of the state. All sectors of health staff including doctors and technicians are outsourced to private bodies. This has not only intensified exploitation of the health staff, but also has reduced the quality of mass health services. She added that it is indeed ironic that the ASHA workers of India have been awarded as “Global Health Leaders”, but the Health Minister of India present at the event didn’t care to mention about the exploitation of ASHA workers under his watch.
The protest sit in was also addressed by AICCTU UP leaders like Anil Verma and Vijay Vidrohi, AIPWA UP State president Krishna Adhikari and CPIML UP State Secretary Sudhakar Yadav. They expressed their support for the struggle of ASHA workers in UP and encouraged the ASHAs to intensify the struggle.
More than 10,000 ASHA workers took part in the sit-in. The union submitted its memorandum to the office of the Chief Minister of UP after the sit in.
After the ASHAs showed their massive unity and strength in the sit in, a senior officer from the Health Department of UP contacted the union. They have promised to set up an enquiry committee on the allegations of corruption. They have also assured of tripartite dialogue in the coming days to resolve the issues raised by ASHA workers.
The Union has decided to continue with the struggle to keep vigilance over the government. A statewide protest actions have been called between 23rd to 30th September.