ASHA Workers Union – Jammu organised a day-long protest demonstration on August 22, 2023, near Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu, to voice their genuine and longstanding demands. A substantial number of ASHA workers who have embarked on the ‘Kaam Chhodo Hadtal’ (leave work strike) participated in the demonstration, actively rallying for their demands.

Om Parkash, working president of the CITU state committee, while addressing the gathering, said ASHA workers played a crucial role in the fight against the Covid pandemic. There are approximately 13, 000 ASHA workers within Jammu & Kashmir's public health system. He emphasized that a number of ASHAs have sacrificed their lives while saving thousands of others during this fight. Despite their selfless dedication and exceptional services throughout the pandemic, where they risked their lives and the lives of their families, the government has yet to acknowledge their contributions by providing permanent employment, fair wages, social security, and pensions, as recommended by the 45th and 46th Indian Labour Conferences. He appealed to the governor to enhance the wages of ASHA workers and engage in negotiations with union representatives.

Jagdish Sharma, general secretary of the CITU state committee, highlighted the discrepancy in wages for ASHA workers across states. He pointed out that ASHA workers in states like Puducherry, Haryana, Kerala, Telangana, and Gujarat receive wages/remuneration of Rs 10,000, which is considerably more than the Rs 2,000 paid to ASHAs in Jammu & Kashmir. He underscored that ASHA workers, often on duty for nearly 24 hours a day, face an increased workload without leave, and are expected to digitise all activities without access to mobile phones. He demanded a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 for ASHA workers, alongside social security provisions such as pension, EPF, and ESI. He urged ASHA workers in Jammu & Kashmir to continue the ‘Kaam Chhodo Hadtal’ until their demands are met, and urged the governor/administration to initiate negotiations with the union.

Anu Rajput, general secretary of ASHA Workers Union Jammu, outlined the memorandum submitted by the union, which listed demands including an increase in monthly remuneration/wages from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000, annual increments of Rs 1,000, mobile phone allowances up to Rs 500 per month, provision of appropriate attire, settlement of pending incentives, removal of additional work responsibilities, revision of long-pending incentives, provision of accommodation at PHCs/hospitals, prompt payment of JSY, implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on ex-gratia, full reimbursement of travel expenses, provision of high-quality smartphones for all ASHAs, promotion of trained ASHAs to FMPHW, and the assurance that no ASHA will retire until pension and social security schemes are in place, among other demands. Anu Rajput urged the governor to promptly accept these legitimate demands.

Sunita Bhagat, president of ASHA Workers Union, called on all ASHA workers to persist with the ‘Kaam Chhodo Hadtal’ until their demands are met. She urged the LG administration to engage union representatives in negotiation to address these long-standing grievances.

Other speakers at the protest programme included Romesh Chand (senior leader of CITU), Muzaffer Wani (vice president, CITU), Jia Lal Parihar (secretary, CITU), Gita Devi (treasurer of ASHA Workers Union), Manjit Kumari and Sangita (representatives from Bhalwal and Reta block), and others who emphasized the importance of recognising the critical role ASHA workers play in the healthcare system and the urgency of fulfilling their demands.