ESI outsourced employees desperately wait for wages

Tirupati: The outsourced staff working at ESI hospital have been facing deplorable conditions as they are not getting salaries for the past seven months. This has become a perennial problem and every time their wait for salaries continues for several months. There are 42 employees working in the ESI hospital out of which 30 are in housekeeping while the remaining 12 are engaged in security duties.

Due to lack of budgetary allocations, it has become a persistent problem. The staff have been expressing their woes and were saying that they could not even pay the house rent for almost eight months. "At least if we get salaries once in two months, we can manage somehow. But our wait for receiving the meagre salaries continues for several months every time with which we could not survive," commented an employee.

At least four couples were working at ESI hospital. As both wife and husband are working without salaries, running the families has become an uphill task for them. Out of the gross salary of Rs 10,670, they are getting Rs 8,300 per month after deductions. Though the Chief Minister announced a salary hike to Rs 16,000 per month, it was not implemented till now.

The district joint secretary of AP Medical Employees Association M Narasimhulu told The Hans India that lack of budgetary allocation was the main problem for their woes. The families have been facing acute problems with no salaries for months together.

The AITUC leaders along with employees leaders held discussions with the hospital superintendent on Friday. He assured to clear at least a few months' salaries by October 13. He said that they are hopeful of this and if that is not materialised, the staff will think of further course of action.