ASHAs demand minimum wages, social security

The first Kalaburagi taluk conference of the Karnataka State Composite ASHA Workers’ Association demanded the government ensure minimum wages and social security to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs).

“ASHAs must be considered as government employees in the first place. Till that happens, they must be considered as workers and be extended all statutory facilities workers are entitled to. They should be provided with minimum wages as per the law in force, social security and free health coverage,” the ASHAs demanded at the conference held at the old Zilla Panchayat Conference Hall in Kalaburagi on Sunday.  

After the inauguration of the event, S.M. Sharma, district convener of the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), alleged that all the political parties that ruled the State one after the other had shown the least interest in addressing the issues of the grassroots-level health workers.

“All the political parties including Congress and BJP, did almost nothing to address the issues of ASHAs and improve their lives. ASHAs are the health lifelines of rural areas. They relentlessly worked at the villages during the COVID-19 pandemic risking their lives. The successive governments involve the ASHAs in implementing their welfare schemes. But they show no interest in addressing the issues of the ASHAs and raising their standard of living,” Mr. Sharma said.

Accredited Social Health Activists in procession before the first Kalaburagi taluk conference of the Karnataka State Composite ASHA Workers’ Association in Kalaburagi on Sunday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Underling the importance of building movements, Mr. Sharma said that the wages of ASHAs could rise from ₹500 in the initial days to ₹5,000 at present only because of their organised and consistent struggles.

Labour leaders V.G. Desai, Raghavendra M.G., Gundamma and others spoke on the occasion. A taluk committee of the Karnataka State Composite ASHA Workers’ Association was formed with Shivalingamma Nandur as its president, Tukkamma Sontha as its vice-president and Shantha Harasur as its secretary.

Earlier in the day, ASHAs took out a procession from Jagat Cirlce through Annapurna Cross to the conference venue.