Health and nutritition workers to protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai

Mumbai: On Monday, a few thousand ASHA, Anganwadi, mid-day meal, and ICDS workers — most of whom are women — are expected to start their indefinite protest at Azad Maidan.The protest is being organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Its state president, Shubha Shamim, said their primary demand is to have the wages increased. "Even with the current price rises, most of the women are still on around Rs 12,000-13,000 pay. Many of them have not even received that in the past few months," she said.The workers are asking for a common minimum wage across all health and nutrition programmes: Rs 30,000/month for 8 hours of work every day, with additional pay for overtime. "These women keep essential services in the state running," said Shamim.She added that another demand is to have a formal leave structure, including casual leave, sick leave, and paid maternity leave for the workers.Anganwadi workers, helpers, ASHA workers, block coordinators, mid-day meal workers, and National Health Mission (NHM) employees are also demanding that their posts be made permanent, noting that some of these services have been running for 50 years.Furthermore, CITU has called for social security benefits like ESIC, provident fund, gratuity, and pension for them.For Anganwadi workers, who have routine online work, the union has called for Wi-Fi facilities at their workplaces. "Discontinue the sub-standard Take-Home Ration (THR) and provide nutritious food such as eggs, bananas, and pulses to all beneficiaries of anganwadis," the union said.