The staff of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and members of its joint action committee (JAC) continued their protests outside the facility's outpatient department on Tuesday.
The protesting employees sported black arm bands and held banners and placards calling for the fulfillment of their demands, which include the provision of a health risk allowance and medical allowance, formation of a service structure for the workers of DUHS and free-of-charge medical treatment for them at the facility.
Besides, they demand a uniform policy and allowance for nurses, the allotment of a housing society for DUHS employees, representation in the syndicate, immediate payment of ad hoc relief allowance 2020, payment of 20 per cent health professional allowance, annual leave encashment, payment of computer allowance, regularisation of workers who have been on contract for over three years, provision of overtime pay and an end to the harassment of employees.
According to JAC members addressing the protestors on Tuesday, the DUHS vice-chancellor (VC) hasn't paid heed to the grievances of the health facility's employees despite six days of protests.
Later, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Alamgir Khan met with the protestors and appealed to the Sindh government and the DUHS VC to meet the former's demands.
Separately, the employees of Sobhraj Maternity Hospital also continued demonstrations on Tuesday against the non-payment of salaries and boycotted the outpatient department at the facility in protest, following which they received assurances from a municipal commissioner that their demands would be met.
The protestors gathered outside the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s office on MA Jinnah Road and shouted slogans calling for their demands.
According to the protesting staff, some employees have not received salaries for two months while others have not been paid for the past 18 months. They have no choice but to continue working without being paid and are demanding the fulfillment of their legitimate rights, maintained the protestors.
They claimed that KMC employees are also deprived of their salaries.
The staff maintained that they are compelled to protest every other day for their salaries and allowances to be paid. The protestors warned that the scale of protests would be widened if they are not given their rights, and appealed to the authorities to meet their demands.
Later, a KMC municipal commissioner called the protestors for negotiations and assured that salaries of all employees in the department of medicine would be issued. Other dues will also be paid gradually once KMC receives its grants, said the municipal commissioner.
The protestors dispersed after assurances by the municipal commissioner.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2020.
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