Chandigarh, 17 October, 2024: Outsourced hospital attendants at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh ended their week-long strike on Thursday, following a stern warning from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The attendants, who had been protesting since October 10, were demanding the release of approximately ₹30 crore in pending payments that cover the period from November 2018 to April 2024.
The strike, which affected over 3,000 outsourced workers, began as the attendants expressed frustration over their unpaid dues. Their main complaint was that although the government approved a budget of ₹46 crore in April 2024 to settle dues for other outsourced staff, their payments remained outstanding. This situation prompted the strike, which gained momentum on October 11, as other outsourced workers, including those in sanitation and kitchen services, joined the protest in solidarity.
Rinku Bhagat, a union leader representing the striking workers, voiced concerns about the administration’s response. He stated, “The only demand the administration has accepted is the release of 20% of pending arrears for some sanitation workers who had already received part of their dues earlier.” Despite his dissatisfaction, Bhagat confirmed that the workers decided to end their strike in compliance with the high court’s orders, and they would return to their jobs immediately.
The court’s directive emphasized that essential services in a hospital, such as sanitation and patient care, must not be disrupted due to service disputes. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal, acknowledged that the PGIMER administration and the Union Territory of Chandigarh had the authority to take necessary actions to ensure the workers returned to their duties. They cautioned that further delays in resuming services could lead to legal consequences.
Dr. Vipin Koushal, the spokesperson for PGIMER, reassured the public that the administration was dedicated to resolving the workers’ demands, but he stressed that using the hospital’s operations as leverage was unacceptable. “The strike is putting the lives and health of thousands of patients at risk,” he noted. Koushal added that the hospital had been urging the workers to engage in discussions and that critical services, including the outpatient department (OPD), emergency, and trauma care, were operational, thanks to volunteers and regular staff stepping in to help manage the situation.
